5:5 and 5:6 Cambridge Blues: Dempsey and Makepeace
by haveunotthought
Summary: Dempsey is back but Makepeace is struggling; her past threatens her future. Originally titled 'All Change'
1. Chapter 1

Dempsey bounced into the office to a chorus of welcome from the lads. Sitting in his office Spikings could feel the energy that Dempsey's presence brought to the office; whilst the laughter continued outside he was forced to consider the still unresolved complexities of harbouring a cuckoo in the nest.

"Good to see you back mate" declared Dave

"Let's see the scar" demanded Tony

"What can I say – life is hard and then you die" Dempsey said as he raised his jumper to reveal the scar "I guess I just ain't had it hard enough yet"

"So you went after the sextraders that the vice squad lost?" checked Tony

"Nah I went to see the frogs, now that I'm gonna be a limey I thought I'd better get to know the neighbours." he continued as he lowered the sweater back down "it was kinda a celebration that me and Makepeace can keep on working together"

"What about frogs legs?" asked Fry

"Long and slender" Dempsey winked

Fry blushed "actually I meant…" he words faded as Dempsey moved to the coffee machine and poured two mugs of coffee. Dempsey put milk in one and placed it in the centre of Makepeace's desk, taking his own he moved to where Dave and Tony were

"Did you learn any French?" Dave asked

"What is it…" Tony recalled his school boy lessons "– Merci and sil vous…"

"Silver plates" Dempsey finished "that and mercy buckets" he sipped the hot coffee from his mug and that reminded him "I learnt deux cafes noir" he continued and then grinning he looked around the room checking to see who was listening "And preservative means condom – clever hey?"

Tony sighed in frustration wondering how Dempsey pulled where ever he went

Spikings stood at full height at the entrance between his office and the main one "What's going on out here? You've all got work to do" he surveyed the scene "Get on with it"

"What's going down?" Dempsey asked

"Me and Harry are working on a scam" Tony announced proudly

"Yeh and Harry is helping me look through a case about counterfit money" Dave informed Dempsey

"And you Fry?" Dempsey turned to address him "Are you doing it with Harry too?"

"Oh no!" Fry panicked "I've a got a girlfriend now"

Dempsey smiled "So you've not had to do any kissing with the Sergeant" Dempsey noted Fry's blush

Harry stood with folded arms waiting to catch Dempsey's eye which she did as he swung his attention away from his favourite target. He winced and considered how long she may have been there for "Sergeant" he greeted her with a mischievous grin "Fry and I were just discussing the finer points of undercover"

* * *

Dempsey paced around; flitting from one project to another he was being nothing more than a distraction. Dave had asked him to look through bank sheets but the numbers had driven him insane; Tony was buried under a mountain of newspapers and Dempsey took an Evening Standard dated two weeks prior and opened it.

He sat on the edge of Harry's desk, passing one page at a time from his left to right hand. "'This the newspaper you always on about me reading Makepeace?" he asked superciliously over his shoulder

Harry ignored him, Dempsey glanced over a few more pages and then folding the paper closed and then in half he placed it on her desk, over her work "Nothing in there" he goaded "Not big enough to have any news"

"I'm surprised that someone with the attention span of a flea finds a newspaper the size of a postage stamp too small"

"Well ain't that just it Sergeant" he leaned down "I'm obviously no flea"

"For god's sake Dempsey couldn't you just do some work?"

"Sure – where shall we go? Do you wanna do a run of the snouts, or hang out at the Bramcote and see what's going down?"

"I'm already working Lieutenant" she said pointedly

"I mean real police work" Dempsey emphasised the 'real'

"Fifty percent…"

"Yada yada…" Dempsey interrupted and catching Harry's warning glare picked up the evening paper again. "So what am I looking for?"

"Murry and…"

"Don't tell me Petrov"

"The very same" Makepeace confirmed "Seem to be shifting large stocks of paste jewellery and we think they're using the classifieds" she was spinning her pen around the central point, Dempsey noted it, he always noted such things

"You mean selling grannies pearls to unsuspecting punters" he watched her play the pen across her lips and wondered if she did it on purpose

"Possibly"

"But?"

"But the stock we've seen come in is in too large a quantity to get rid of on a one to one level"

"Well if you know the stuffs coming in and it's fake…"

"We need to prove that they're selling it on - you know evidence that will stand up in court" Makepeace raised her brow "The sort Spikings likes"

Dempsey huffed and not rising to the bait moved on "So you think there's a code hidden in 'The London Evening Standard'"? he mocked disparagingly

"It would be an easy way to communicate"

"I can think of easier; say using the phone or writing a letter"

Tony called across "This way all the players can be informed at once and they can all know what's going down"

"So let's read papers" Dempsey conceded, starting at the small ads he declared that 'his nose would find it'

Two minutes later he was itching with restlessness "No one seems to be selling large stocks of fake jewellery" he announced "How about a cat scratching post? Or a Haynes Escort Manual? Or a roof rack or 10 assorted videos?" His eyes scanned down one column and back to the top of the next "Ooo look there's a book keeping course - you should get that Dave you might catch your scumbag" Dempsey didn't expect an answer and so was not disappointed when none was forthcoming, he continued for a few more column inches "A Ha – Ladies costume jewellery" he picked up the phone and dialled the number "You still got that stuff for sale" he asked "only I need something that looks classy but costs nothing" he paused to listen to the voice at the other end "Well can you let me know if you sell anymore" he looked across to Harry "only the mistress is costing me a bit much at the moment". She glared back

Dempsey put the phone down. "Well?" asked Tony

"Sold it a week ago" Dempsey shrugged "belonged to his ex" he turned over a couple of pages searching until his eyes rested on his goal.

"Now let's see what we've got here" Dempsey's grin was audible and unfortunately for Fry he walked back into the office at just that point.

"Lonely hearts" Dempsey announced to one and all "Female aged 40 looking for LTR"

"Huh that counts you out then Jim" Tony called

"Why?"

"Long term relationship" Mac chided "never known that to be your scene"

"Oh I have been known to go in for the occasional one" He glanced at Harry who was hanging her head in mock interest at the page in front of her

Fry squeezed past Dempsey in an attempt to deliver the files he had fetched from records but his actions drew Dempsey's focus directly onto himself

"Fry! There's a whole load of women needing a man" he watched Fry shuffle uneasily and stack the files on his own desk "Hot blonde wltm man for fun and games" he looked back to Fry who was head down in his notes "Blondes not doing it for you? How about sexy female with gsoh looking for like minded guy"

"She'll do me" Mac called out

"and you've got a good sense of humour?" Dave challenged

"I'm sexy" Mac swung his hips and everyone laughed as he pursed his lips "and gsoh could mean good salary own house"

"when a guy puts it he really means good standard of hygiene"

"what like he's not got crabs"

"well that's kinda important"

Dempsey took charge again "Ok guys who wants Lovely Lorraine NSA, brunette with long legs"

"NSA?"

"No strings attached" chorused three together

"See Brian, Mac and Joe - they know their stuff"

Most of the guys were by now grazing their own edition and each threw out ads over the other creating a cacophony of acronyms and lust; as the interest built the office debated the possible pros and cons that Cody's discreet Massage held over Foxy Kittens Escort Agency and whether 'Unhurried Hawksleys Angels' would really take their time. The conversation plummeted towards filth with the imagination as to why wild cherry was so named and then Fry coughed: "Damn" he announced. Feeling flustered Fry had kept his head down, copying details of old cases onto a chart in an attempt to hide his discomfort, but now he addressed Dempsey "I need a rubber"

Dempsey's eyes widened in disbelief "Um best go visit the bathroom" he suggested a little awkwardly

"But have you got a rubber I can use, you always seem to have one" Fry persisted ignorant and assuming Dempsey was after going to the bathroom himself

"Just wash your hands after" Dempsey advised in a louder whisper than he intended

"So pass me a rubber" Fry re-iterated "And I'll wash my hands"

"Well now I don't usually carry one for work" Dempsey glanced up at the rest of the guys, intrigued as to their interest he forced a mock smile

"But I've seen them on your desk, there's usually one you've left lying around" Fry proclaimed

"What?" Dempsey was actually bamboozled "Not here, not in the office at least…"

Harry grinned, she had gotten used to the guys ignoring her at such times as these and tended to ignore them back but now her mission was twofold: one to save Fry and the other to save herself - good grief what would Dempsey let slip. She called Fry's attention "Fry - here's one of Dempsey's erasers" she tossed it across the room and Dempsey swung round "Wrong inference" she pronounced with a satisfied grin and a rise of her brow "We call condoms johnnys!"

The eruption from the team finally drew Spikings from his office and silence fell.

"Dempsey!" Spikings flicked his head towards the office door and as Dempsey made his way across the room Spikings dropped his bombshell "All leave and rest days are cancelled until these cases are solved." He announced "Upstairs are expecting a miracle and we are going to deliver"


	2. Chapter 2

"You WHAT!" Dempsey stood in agitation "There ain't no way…." He leaned in towards Spikings "Not without Harry"

"Sergeant Makepeace is already overseeing two scenarios" Spikings pointed out very dryly "And as next senior officer…"

"Whoa back up there" Dempsey held his hand up in front of Spikings face palm forward "what do you mean 'next senior' - I am a Lieutenant and she's just a Sergeant"

"Dempsey you are taking the Woodrow case"

"I don't have a problem with that" Dempsey growled "just let me and Harry do it together"

Spikings rose and walked around Dempsey, he jerked open the office door "Fry" he called "There's a case just come in – I want you and Dempsey to work it"

Spikings stood by his door and in so doing invited Dempsey to leave. Dempsey launched a pen he'd picked up onto the floor in frustration, as he marched out he mumbled to Spikings about not bothering to come to his funeral.

Fry bolted out of his chair, he'd rather partner anyone else than Dempsey on his own. Dempsey tossed Fry the wodge of photos Spikings had just run through "Xerox these and I'll meet you in the parking lot in ten" he instructed as he pulled Harry by her right arm out into the corridor

"Excuse me" Makepeace protested

"The chief wants me dead" Dempsey informed her with bitterness

"You're being alarmist"

"I'm telling you he doesn't want me here"

"It was barely weeks ago that stuck his neck on the line to get you your permanent transfer" Harry reasoned quite measuredly

"Well he's sending me out with Fry"

"You've worked with him before – "

"Yeh but not just me and him Harry – he drives me nuts"

"Fry's a solid worker" Harry pointed out

"Me and you – we're partners, we should be out there together"

"We're still partners" she reassured him "now go and hunt Fry down" she placed both palms on his chest to send him on his way with a gentle push

"What's this? The wife sending me off to work?" Dempsey mocked as he reached out and took hold of her hips "only it's you Harry I want to be with" he objected as he pulled himself into her

"I thought you sounded rather keen on Luscious Laura" Makepeace mooted

"Me?" Dempsey feigned shock "Nah - now Naughty Nita – she sounded kinda fun" Dempsey's hands were roving over Harry's behind and as he edged her back against the wall and himself over her he whispered "but there ain't none as brazen as the naked sergeant with her legs wrapped round me just feet away from the boss" his left hand grazed upwards over her waist and his thumb extended to catch the curve of her breast as he breathed his words over her lips.

"Dempsey" Harry scolded in a loud whisper "we're in a public corridor"

His thumb kept exploring the underside of her weighted curve and Harry drew breath ready to push Dempsey back but his lips were closing hers and her hands slipped upwards around his neck until the noise of a door opening jolted the pair apart.

"Later what say we try the desk" Dempsey suggested with a glint in his eye

"I say you'd better go and find Fry" Harry finally pushed him away in a friendly shove adding 'that she doubted he knew how to Xerox something'

"What? He's always bringing the stuff in for Chas"

"Yes but Chas asks him to photocopy" Harry grinned with devilment

Fry finally opened the passenger door of the grey merc, he passed a brown envelope to Dempsey and despite the advice from Harry mentioned 'that Harry had said although the SI10 photocopier was a Canon these would be alright'

Dempsey passed the envelope back telling Fry to study everyone of the mug shots 'cos he would test him on them when they finally got to their observation point' Dempsey turned the ignition and as he selected first he asked Fry 'what had kept him'

Fry was foolish honest "you never said the back carpark- Gaynor said we didn't have a parking lot ten and suggested that you usually parked out here"

Dempsey almost missed second gear as he absorbed Fry's naiveté; he screeched around the corner "Gaynor from switchboard" he mused "good job she knows me well". In third gear he pulled out to overtake a blue ford transit and Fry winced as a thought he'd never had before crossed his mind about Gaynor and Dempsey. By the time Dempsey had completed the manoeuvre and glanced to his left as he pulled back into the main stream of traffic he noted the red flush that had travelled from Fry's neck to the tip of his ears.

"'she your girlfriend?" Dempsey asked, chewing his inner lip with mischievous intent. Fry was so flustered that he loosened his tie

"She's quite a looker" Dempsey continued generously "size 14 but great curves"

Fry coughed, his throat dry with panic; he had no idea if Dempsey was right he was more worried how Dempsey knew because if she'd dated Dempsey he might as well throw in the towel now.

"D cup I'm guessin"

Fry undid the top button of his shirt and contemplated how he was going to survive for hours in the company of Dempsey alone when the first 5 minutes had been such a total nightmare.

Dempsey held a wry smile and concentrated on the London traffic until he pulled up at the disused railway sidings beyond the Surrey Docks and opened his New York Times.

"'You know what Woodrow looks like?" Dempsey checked whilst looking directly into his paper

"6'1", 16 stone, glasses and a goaty beard" Fry summarised

"220 pound" Dempsey offered "and what about if he's shaved? – how you gonna now him them?"

Fry shuffled the photos until he found one of Woodrow, he stared at it contemplating how average Woodrow looked; Dempsey lifted the photo – "look at his jowls and the width of his eyes and the stubby nose with flaring nostrils"

Fry wondered how he'd not spotted those before.

Dempsey looked back at his paper "And he ain't never alone" he added – he's got two henchmen 6'6" at least 280 pounds" Fry shuffled the photos again wondering and pondering until like a wild pig mesmerised to walk into the anaconda's mouth he asked Dempsey 'how he knew the side kicks were paid nearly 300 quid and was that a day or a week?'

Dempsey folded his paper "I dunno what they get paid – you thinking of switching sides Fry? Or just doin' a bit of moonlightin'?"

Fry was utterly perplexed but fortunately Dempsey was leafing though the photos addressing the ones they were hoping to spot showing up on today's surveillance and giving Fry a précis of their possible links. Fry scribbled notes on the back of his set of photos.

Both Yelding and Tranton arrived at the scruffy warehouse offices; Fry noted that they spent considerably more time talking to each other outside than they spent in Woodrows offices, he noted the car registration plate and when he finally plucked up courage to ask Dempsey what he thought they would be talking about Dempsey dryly told him 'that he had no idea and maybe he should take a walk by'

Fry had barely walked 10 yards from the car before Dempsey roared off leaving Fry dumbfounded and seething. His eyes skimmed the area searching for how he would make his way home but he seemed abandoned in Millwall with no access to public transport.

The screech of rubber as Dempsey drove off had drawn the attention of the two debating gentlemen; aware of their vulnerability they returned to Tranton's Audi. They came up to Fry still standing on the same spot turning circles as he contemplated walking back towards Deptford and wondering if right or left was the quicker route; he knew he would choose wrong. Yelding wound the passenger window down "You look lost" he observed

"I have no idea which is the quickest way back to the tube or if any buses ever come by – you couldn't advise me could you?" Fry plaintively asked "Only I just got dumped"

"Jump in mate" Tranton called across and Fry slipped into the back of the car; his eyes widened as he took in the dashboard, the red upholstery and the electric window eased itself back up. "so where can we drop you?" continued Tranton

"Oh anywhere near a tube station"

"Where you heading exactly?"

"Peckham" Fry admitted suddenly remembering not give the game away he added "the Granada TV studios"

"We're off down the A2, we can drop you near" Yelding offered on Tranton's behalf before continuing the conversation he and Tranton had been having on the forecourt.

Fry burst into the SI10 offices reeling from information overload "Where's Dempsey?" he breathed I've got to talk to him

The guys looked at each other "We thought he was with you?"

"Dempsey?" Chas picked up on the debate as he walked back in "I've just seen him over the Bramcote with Harry"

Over at the Bramcote Dempsey was not enjoying his discussion with Makepeace; she seemed to be in league with Spikings about Dempsey working this one with Fry but she was insisting that she knew nothing that Dempsey didn't.

On top of that she seemed to think that his abandonment of Fry on the Rotherhide road was out of order, refusing to believe that it was anything other than harassment. Now he was sulking and turning the back pages of the current evening standard "Pretty Penny's offering playful fun" he observed out loud

"Dempsey I really don't care and if I'm honest I really don't want to hear; don't you think you could just grow up"

"What do you mean – these are adult services"

Before she had opportunity to come back at Dempsey Fry burst in

"I found out so much" he announced proudly "Murdoch and Montpelier are working out of Gravesend and passing the details onto Tranton who uses Yelton as a go between with Woodrow" Fry delivered his information without taking pause for breath.

"Good work" Dempsey conceded

"Well it seems as if you've got plenty of work to be doing Lieutenant" Makepeace stood "And now Dave and I have some legwork lined up" Harry walked out of the Bramcote without so much as a by your leave "Catch you later" Dempsey called out

At the door Harry turned back "I doubt it, this involves a trip to Cambridge"

"Sure" Dempsey muttered "great to be back at work"

Fry was still bubbling with his success "Shall we go to Gravesend?" he asked expectantly

"What?" Dempsey realised he hadn't heard Fry "Did you say somethin'"

"Shall we do the leg work in Gravesend?"

"Yeh" Dempsey assented "Yeh some legwork"


	3. Chapter 3

In the dark moods that engulfed Harriet Makepeace with an increasing frequency and without prior warning Harry found herself wishing she could turn the clock back; currently she craved something she had never craved before and that was stability. She'd lain in bed at night contemplating how far back in time she wanted to go but even that she couldn't agree on from one lonely night to the next. Her choices mainly flitted between January 1985 in the pre Dempsey era or even just January 1987 when they were just happy to be a couple. In fact even a month ago would just about do; what she hated was the ride she was on at the moment that seemed to have no sign of an ending. It was like being on a fairground waltzer; ever since her abduction from the Jules Verne Restaurant most of her life had been in such a spin that she could see nothing and it felt as if her head was about to be thrown off. There had been precious moments when the spinning had slowed and life had seem happy; when James had come round after his surgery, when he had finally come back to the UK, the weekend they'd just spent at Winfield Hall but the rest of the time it seemed that a malevolent laughing clown was spinning her car and when she screamed stop it had just laughed more and spun it faster.

Gordon Spikings shook his head hoping that it would clear, but it never seemed to these days. The in-house medic had said Dempsey should be off work at least another week but he didn't know Dempsey like Spikings did. Spikings had visions of Dempsey roving free and unrestricted, sticking his gun into everything – he most certainly wouldn't spend another week out in the country; no Spikings had decided that he'd rather have his cuckoo in the nest where at least he could keep half an eye on him. He wasn't sure if sending Dempsey off with Fry was wise; it would be the make or break of Fry he guessed. In an effort to reassure himself that he hadn't just hung Fry out to dry Spikings reminded himself of the antagonism that flew between Dempsey and Makepeace two years ago; that didn't help because now he was brought full circle back to his current dilemmas with the dynamic duo, he pulled open his right hand draw and retrieved his bottle of the famous grouse. Life as it had been for the past two years was about to change; it was just that he had no idea how.

Harry could list the worst disasters:  
1) Spikings pulling her straight back to the UK - left alone Dempsey had refused, no not refused just not co-operated with the medical staff. Determined to prove he was ok to leave hospital he'd pushed his body too fast and too far and ended up in an induced coma as the only way the French doctors could manage his recovery.

2) Her mind had been, and still was, all over the place; the shock of seeing Dempsey die in front of her haunted her nightmares and clouded her mind during the day. She knew that the unspoken reason Spikings had teamed her with the other guys was mainly because she wasn't thinking clearly enough to work on her own.

3) This financial scam that her and Dave were working on made Harry uneasy and not just because it was leading her back to Cambridge; some of the names were a bit too familiar, at least so far one name seemed to be missing but she wondered for how long.

4) The wedding thing was another disaster that strangely hadn't occurred to her before her trip to France and obviously still hadn't hit Dempsey's radar. The first realisation had occurred as she had been about to walk into SI10 office – she had had to take the ring off of her finger…. That night she'd rummaged in her jewellery box and worn the ring threaded onto a silver chain under her clothes ever since - apart from the evening when Angela had called round with a bottle of Moet to celebrate and the weekend of make believe they had just returned from in the early hours of the morning.  
The second realisation was still stinging sharply and so far she had kept the awareness to herself – how on earth could they get married?

In the past three weeks she had discovered that by concentrating on the immediate she could raise her mood and even better if she was with James she could blot out the darkness altogether. She smiled - his arrival back in the factory had raised everybody's mood today; he really was a funny guy, however right now the immediate was taking her to Cambridge but without James and she could feel the darkness closing in again.

* * *

"So Gaynor…." Dempsey returned to Fry's greatest dread; Fry said nothing feeling the pit in his stomach enlarge and engulf his self image. Dempsey didn't let it rest for long

"You dating?" Dempsey tried again

"We might be"

"Do you mean you don't know?"

"I mean it's meant to be kept secret" then realising his slip "if we are that is"

"Let's hope you don't get interrogated" Dempsey grinned

"O God" Fry flustered "you won't say will you?"

"What you gonna pay me to keep shtum?"

Fry looked panic stricken; Dempsey laughed "Don't you worry Fry, your secret's safe with me" Fry somehow doubted that but he could do nothing but accept Dempsey's words; his hope that the topic of conversation was now ended proved futile "So where've you taken her?" Dempsey asked convivially

"Well it's only been about a month" Fry defended

"Hey I'm only making conversation" Dempsey reassured him "What about the first date – they're tricky ones"

"We went to the cinema"

"Good move" Dempsey skimmed his eyes across the street in front as he watched for action. Fry breathed an audible sigh of relief, expecting Dempsey to have gone for snogging in the back row as a minimum.  
Fry jolted forward "Isn't that Murdoch?"

Dempsey squinted his eyes, nodding in agreement "let's hope the other comes by soon. So what film did you see?" Dempsey returned to his interrogation "Or were you too busy to actually see the film" he asked wickedly

'There it was' Fry thought 'well he was going to stand up to Dempsey' and so he blurted out "not everyone's the same as you Dempsey, some people go to see the film not turn the back row into a bedroom"

Dempsey was taken aback for two reasons, primarily because he had been neither fishing nor goading and secondly because Fry wasn't known for such outbursts. He felt immediately disinclined to try again but for the sake of the next few hours and his own sanity he did so.

"Me 'n M.." he coughed over his mistake "went 'n saw Rain Man last week"

"Hey that's what we saw" Fry perked up "Good film yeh?"

"Well I can't say I watched it all"

Fry jumped to his own conclusions and Dempsey did nothing to deter him being launched into reverie as he was back in the Odeon Canterbury last Saturday night; Rain Man was on the screen and Harry was seemingly enjoying the film. Not that he'd bothered to follow the plot bad guy turning out good wasn't really his scene but he had laughed at the funny parts, the rest of the time he had passed by contemplating the hand he was holding. It was more by chance than design that he had sat to her left; he had scoffed the popcorn during the prolonged adverts and trailers and as the title credits had rolled he had reached out and taken her hand into his. His thumb had circled Harry's palm and cruised over the base of her fingers until it had caught on the band of gold encircling her ring finger; he had then spent two hours intermittently playing with the ring, feeling the diamonds, counting her fingers numerous times - every time the ring was there - on her third finger. It was the ring that he had given her, the ring that told him she'd said yes and whilst Harry had watched Tom Cruise evolve from bastard to a compassionate human being James was blissfully ignorant and supremely content. At the end he had laughed at Harry trying ever so discreetly to stop the tears from overflowing her lower eyelids and she had scolded him for being hardnosed and uncaring.

"That's Yelton" Fry announced and Dempsey was jolted back into the land of living.


	4. Chapter 4

Jane, Emma, Harriet, Richard, David, Robert, Joseph, and Albert had argued as to the merits of Jesus versus Kings, Queens or Magdalene; the eight friends had all held strong views on the Vietnam War, Animal Rights and The Role of the Women in the Workplace and joined in various student campaigns. Over time Harriet and Robert had married soon to be followed by Richard and Emma. It took a couple more years for David and Jane to tie the knot and the brothers Joseph and Albert just never seemed to meet anyone special enough.

It was at the wedding of David and Jane Middleton that a young Harriet had first seen Emma and Robert together. Well obviously each of the eight were very relaxed in the company of any of the others but the way Emma and Robert danced had a connectedness that unsettled Harriet, forcing her to follow at a discrete distance.

Albert had bumped into her on the patio, halting any further progress – later Harriet would conclude it had been a deliberate act on his part aimed at protecting her. Unfortunately neither her husband nor her best friend understood the term discrete and barely 40 yards from the grand hall the two of them copulated against the great oak. Later that night at home Harriet had made mention that Emma seemed rather out of character and Robert had agreed 'that Emma had drunk too much and he'd guided her out for some fresh air - that was when they had come across her and Albert _together_ on the patio.' Harriet had accepted the story at the time and several more that with hindsight displayed her naivety.

At a dinner party hosted by Mr and Mrs Makepeace for the eight Emma had felt ill after the main course. Whilst Harriet had created the Bombe Alaska Robert had gone to check on how Emma was. Richard seemed unconcerned tucking into his dessert, in truth trying to blot out what he knew to be happening; he just didn't know how much his dear friend Harriet suspected or knew. As the ice cream melted the rest of the table became on edge, the conversation forced and stilted with everyone pretending that all was well. The bubble burst when Emma appeared giggling and Robert just behind her announced that Emma was 'fit for purpose'. Harriet had taken one long look around the table, each head bowed in turn, rather like a Mexican wave, in avoidance of her gaze. Robert had stared back and she had recognised that just satisfied look; upstairs the bed covers were ruffled and an empty bin was no longer empty, the box of condoms not even returned to the bedside drawer. Harriet had spewed duckling a l'orange, wild rice and buttered green beans all over the bed and not spoken a civil word to Robert Makepeace since.

Now she was about to face her past

Richard Coutts stood to welcome Harry and Dave. He made mention that 'it had been a few years' and that he'd 'heard that she'd done well in the police'

Harry considered that maybe she should have mentioned to Dave that she knew some of the people on their investigating list but now was not that moment; she thanked Richard for giving them the time and pulled out the files listing the years she wanted to go over.

Funding for a Middle Eastern terrorist group had recently proliferated enabling the bandits to purchase a rather large haul of submachine guns and two longer range missile weapons. Activity had originally been noted by the anti terror squad who had followed the connections through Abu Dhabi into the banking services. Fraud squad had wanted the job claiming that they had the better understanding of finances, Terror squad claimed jurisdiction given that the aim was probably a threat on oil supplies but SI10 had been given the work by upstairs, in truth just to avoid giving it to either of the competing branches.

Dave had actually tracked the trail back into Britain via Coutts Bank in Cambridge and now he and Makepeace were looking though some funds set up in the 70s ostensibly investing in oil.

The spotty, greasy haired kid that Richard Coutts had left in the office as a runner for 'anything the visitors needed' was beginning to annoy Makepeace; he seemed to hover close enough to read over their shoulders. On instruction he had fetched them coffee, tea, cake and biscuits – all on separate occasions and as Makepeace opened another dusty ledger she flipped "Ok I think we need an ID ten T form" she announced. The lanky youth shrugged his shoulders "never heard of one of them" he announced

"Well we'll need one to take copies of these records" Harry glared, the kid stood gormless "Well go and get one then" she prompted

"Where from?" he asked

"I don't know – you work here, Mr Coutts said you would get us anything we need"

He turned and made to leave pausing to double check "ID ten T" he repeated back

"That's the one" Makepeace opened her eyes wide and tipped her head both knowingly and as a dismissal; the youth left.

"What form?" asked Dave

"Write it down" Harry grinned

Dave did so - ID10T "That's mean" he laughed

"Thanks – I learnt it off Dempsey" the mention of his name drew her hand up to her neck and she ran a finger around the silver chain; it was a bitter sweet moment and she winced as she returned to the files

"Pretty cool" Dave surmised missing all of the above.

Joseph Campbell had acted as guarantor for David Middleton when he had opened an account with the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank four years previous. Both of Albert and Joseph Campbell had their own accounts with the ADCB and of course back in the 70s all eight had individual and relevant joint accounts in Richard's family bank.

Makepeace brushed her hair back away from her forehead in frustration, she couldn't spot any funny money in fact the only thing that she was noting was the lack of any records pertaining to a certain Robert Makepeace and she knew that he had accounts back then, so had she.

The lanky youth re appeared "Ha ha" he announced scathingly "you in league with that blonde guy from yesterday?"

"What makes you think that?" Dave asked

"Cos he sent me for a long stop" the youth tried to convey arrogance but mainly achieved frustration in his tone

Dave roared with laughter "What's your name mate?"

"Brian"

"Well Brian did you know gullible is the only word not in the dictionary?"

Brain remained silent, wary of falling into yet another trap – he would look it up when he was alone.

"Can you describe the gentleman who was here yesterday?" Makepeace asked. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she heard a perfect description of Robert.

"Was he alone?" Dave asked

Hearing the affirmative response Harry came back at Brian "How long?"

"About an hour I guess?" Brian sort of asked rather than answered

"And how long were you out of the room for?" Makepeace moved forward

"I dunno – five minutes?" Brian suggested hopefully but knowing his own lie.

Makepeace started to loom over Brian with Dempsey like intimidation "he sent you for a long stop" she grimaced

"'bout 20" he gave in

It appeared that Richard Coutts was genuinely unaware of the visit from Robert Makepeace. 'As you know Harriet I would not count him a friend' he had reasoned

"It seems the bank rather liked to keep his business" Harry observed dryly

"If there is anything else I can do to be of assistance"

Harry slapped two bundles of files down "these have connections with the ADCB and this is what remains of 1975"

With their main evidence gone there was nothing else to do other than return to London empty handed. As Dave drove Harry directed him: left, left right, straight over, second right…. "You know the place well" Dave observed

"I read Politics at Kings" she admitted

"And you know the bank administrator" Dave observed

"From uni days" she admitted again but hung back from imparting any further detail. Unlike Dempsey who even on day 1 would never have let the subject drop Dave did so and Harry sat in silence with her memories as the M11 passed under her.

Makepeace went straight home; she poured herself a glass of wine and sat staring at the unlit fire. The darkness of the evening fell and she just sat, her body chilling, in the dark waiting for Dempsey to arrive. At 7.40 (not that she knew the time) the doorbell rang; Harry ignored it; James had a key – he would let himself in – she wasn't in the mood for visitors. Three more times she ignored the ever instant tone of the front door but when she heard bodies hurling themselves at the door and the creaking of wood complicit with a door being jemmied open she sprang up. Standing with her back against the wall, gun drawn she noted the enforced entry had seemingly ground to a halt and then Dempsey's voice was demanding answers. Harry replaced her gun and pulled her door back, before she had a chance to speak a large, 50 something, balding, overweight man wearing a double breasted jacket buttoned on the centre button only stepped forward. He waved his warrant card "Sergeant Harriet Alexandra Charlotte Makepeace I have a warrant for your arrest"


	5. Chapter 5

Gordon Spikings marched straight into interview room 4 without stopping or knocking. Dempsey, sitting impatiently outside drilled his heels relentlessly into the lino creating a scuff mark that the cleaning ladies would fail to clear in the morning. He had jumped to attention the moment he saw Spikings approach but Spikings hadn't even acknowledged his presence and slammed the door barring him from Harry's interrogation. Dempsey slumped back down again but not before kicking the door.

Inside Chief Inspector Madingley noted the aggression and informed Spikings that he could have paperwork to arrest the Yank drawn up within the hour.

Spikings, however, thought that Dempsey could take care of himself and stayed focused as to the whys and wherefores of the arrest of his best officer. 'Unsubstantiated allegations delivered straight to the fraud squad that evening implied that there had been no investigation done; that spite, rivalry and one up man ship had a greater role than honest police work.'

Madingley sneered and demanded of Spikings the reasons as to why he allowed an officer with a personal involvement to be lead investigator before leaving them alone for the customary 'good will' five minutes.

Makepeace jumped up

"Sit down girl" Spikings commanded

Dempsey catapulted through the door that Madingley left open; he stood on edge, suddenly unsure of his role.

"I want straight talking" Spikings barked, he looked directly at Makepeace "So tell me what you never told me before"

Harry took a deep breath "Dave traced the line back from the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank to Coutts in Cambridge; Richard Coutts gave Dave and myself access to the records today but all we discovered was that someone had removed files yesterday."

"Sod it girl - who do you know?" Spikings growled

"I went to university in Cambridge I'm bound to know people" Harry snapped back

"Who do you know on the suspect list? Why do they say you're involved? God dammit Makepeace they seem to have enough to arrest you" Spikings was exasperated, he ran his hand over his head in his tell tale way

"There were eight of us, we were friends but things happened…" Harry was quieter now

"What are the names?" Dempsey asked

"Richard Coutts, he's divorced from Emma, David and Jane Middleton if they're still married, Joseph and Albert Campbell and…" she paused "Robert Makepeace"

"And you never thought to tell me" Spikings raged

"Robert's name never showed in any of the paper work"

"But you think he's involved" Dempsey checked

"We got a perfect description of him at Coutts Bank yesterday"

The door flung open "Five minutes over" was the unapologetic announcement.

* * *

Harry woke to the smell of burnt toast; she looked at the clock and slumped back down, 9.00am. It had been near enough 3.00 in the early hours of the morning before her and James had crawled into bed and nearer 5.00 or even 6.00 before she had finally slept. She could hear Dempsey humming and knew she should get up but there seemed little point. She had had to concede to suspension in order to get a five day window before Fraud would take things forward. Madingley had demanded that he hold her warrant card but in a display of his ignorance it hadn't occurred to him to ask for her weapon. Well right now her life was definitely spinning from one disaster to another. She pulled the quilt up around her neck and then suddenly threw the covers back and jumped out of bed. "Damn you Robert" she announced "I'll get you you bastard"

Dempsey watched Harry walk into the kitchen "Mornin' Tinkerbell" he greeted

Harry picked up the blackened bread between her thumb and finger tip, she held it in the air rather as if she was holding a dead mouse

Dempsey chewed his lip "Well you can't see the blue bits" he observed

Keeping the offending item at arms length Harry marched towards the bin

"It's all I got" Dempsey pleaded

Harry tentatively put her toe to the pedal of the bin, her mind computating the age of the bread in her hand and the likely age of the contents in the bin. She turned her gaze away as she dropped the toast into the bin "Ugh" she swallowed.

"Coffee?" Dempsey suggested

"Black" Harry suggested defensively and Dempsey laughed

"So what's our first move?" Dempsey asked as he slid a mug of black coffee towards Harry and pulled a chair up next to her

"Waitrose" Harry deftly decided

"You wanna get dressed first?" Dempsey suggested with a tease "only you're wearing my best dress shirt again"

"It's the only one with a tail long enough" she grinned

"Long enough for what?" Dempsey knew but he pushed her anyway

"To cover all my dignity in al circumstances - your T shirts are too short for some things" as she spoke Harry noted that Dempsey was already dressed and she tried to think as to the whereabouts of his bathrobe; she'd looked for it before she'd raided his wardrobe. Whilst her mind was puzzling over the fact Dempsey made his move.

Ok so her bottom and thighs were discreetly covered but one deft twist of a button – he performed it so fast she had no time to object – rather enhanced the front view.

"It looks better on you – always has" his finger traced a line upwards to under her chin and then his thumb brushed across to her ear.

Harry smacked it away. "How comes…" she started before smacking his hand a second time "…you have half your wardrobe at my place and I can't even find a clean pair of knickers"

"What's the problem? Just turn 'em inside out"

"Dempsey!"

"You telling me you've never done that?"

"Dempsey you're disgusting"

"So what you gonna do?" Dempsey asked out of interest

"There's this process, Dempsey, called washing" she held his attentive gaze "– my underwear is currently drying on your bathroom radiator" Harry stretched, deliberately thrusting her chest forward, her arms wide and leant back a little before undoing another button. Simultaneously as the shirt exposed more of her flesh Harry jumped up and darted towards the door.

Dempsey growled

"Or I might go for plan B" she called over her shoulder

* * *

In the end their first port of call was SI10. Harry was keen to get hold of the files her and Dave had brought away from the bank.

"Ah Dempsey" Fry looked up, he held a self satisfied smirk "I did as you suggested and set up that honey trap"

"Good work" Dempsey parroted, fortunately Fry missed the blank disinterest in Dempsey's eyes

"It's all set to go down Thursday"

"Great" Dempsey wasn't even listening

Spikings opened his office door and sniffed. He knew exactly what it was and turned to his right where he knew he'd see the culprit. The only thing that caused him to pause before announcing 'that the canteen had been upgraded and now had tables and chairs' was the sight of the mouth closing around the bacon sandwich.  
He beckoned Harry into his lair; Dempsey followed uninvited. Makepeace had the good sense to leave her breakfast outside but Dempsey chomped another bite from his.

"Could you not have eaten before you came in?" he questioned

"It seems Dempsey hasn't heard of a supermarket"

Spikings was lost

"I don't intend to go back to my flat" Harry explained

"Because?" Spikings growled taking a deep breath

"I have no intention of bumping into Robert until I'm ready"

Spikings blew out slowly "Dave's been looking over those files you brought back – he can't see anything in there"

"That's because you've got to find what's not there" Harry paced forwards "It's what's missing that's important"

Dempsey took another bite and Spikings glared at him "Sorry chief – you wanna bite?" he shoved the remaining third of his bacon sandwich forward

"I want you out there working your butt off Lieutenant" Spikings leaned forward "there's plenty of detail needed on this honey pot you've got Fry setting up"

Dempsey was genuinely winded "I'm gonna help Harry look through the files and nail this Robert bastard"

"Dave is working this case" Spikings bored down on Dempsey "I've drafted in Mac to help him and…"

"They don't know shit about this case" Dempsey protested

"Oh and you do"

"I'm learning"

"So are they! Dave has a contact on Fraud - Adrian Fraser – seems he's keen to join SI10" Spikings stepped back to gauge the acceptance of this information "I thought maybe he could sell himself a little"

Dempsey pursed his lips and scrunched his nose "The in house is a good move" he conceded "but Boss that doc actually said I should have another week off and…" he held his scar "I think I came back to work a bit quick" he feigned a wince with pain "the wounds playing up and I wouldn't want to go against his advice"

'Oh god' Spikings thought 'now he had two officers free to ride roughshod round the country' "I want you in full radio contact at all times" he demanded as a fruitless concession knowing full well that as always Dempsey got everything on his terms. He waved them out and Dempsey was gone before Spikings added his addendum "For God's sake call in at Tesco's or somewhere that sells food Sergeant" Harry paused, she glanced back over her shoulder "…only the wife's got me on a diet and there's only so much temptation a man can take"

* * *

"Dempsey!" Harry scolded "we're in a supermarket"

"Yeh"

"So what do you think you're playing at?"

"Well" Dempsey grinned "I finally worked out what plan B would be"

"Plan B?"

"Remember this morning you said there was always plan B"

Harry tipped her head sideways just a little

"Well I'm just trying to check…." His hand smoothed over the curve of her bottom and up around her hip"

"OK" Harry conceded drawing to a sudden halt and handing him the trolley "you push"

Dempsey stopped dead at the same point, next to the tinned tomatoes but his hand continued to rove. Harry pushed him off "What the hell!" she took control of the trolley again and grabbing a jar of passata she marched forward. Dempsey remained in place watching her hips swaying; he wolf whistled and dashed forward to catch her up.

"Definitely plan B" he failed to whisper "Here we are walking round the baked beans and toothpaste and you ain't got nothin' on under that skirt"

Harry glanced around but fortunately at 11 on a Monday morning Sainsbury's was quite empty. She noted the fire dancing in his eyes and licked her lips teasingly "All morning Lieutenant" she kept her voice low and seductive "and not for the first time"

"Geez Harry 'you telling me…" he was stopped from speaking as Harry pushed him into the aisle of chilled food "Stay here and cool down" she instructed and slipped away. Dempsey watched her backside until she was out of sight and then scanned the shelves.

Honey, yoghurt, Maple Syrup and Mayo – I didn't know if you wanted to go sweet or savoury" Dempsey announced as he dropped each item into the trolley "of course we could always use the peanut butter and strawberry jelly…." He stopped noting the look of pure puzzlement on Harry's face "…of course squirty cream!" Dempsey legged it back to the chilled aisle and was now tossing the can into the trolley as Harry studied his hyper excited face "We're buying food because I need to stay at your place whilst I'm suspended from my job, framed by my ex and could be about to have my whole world crash in on me" Dempsey noted her 'ever so serious voice' "And you want to create 9 ½ weeks!" she dared him

"Well it would take your mind off things" he reasoned in his indomitable cheeky way

He felt 'the stare'

"They'll keep" he added "look the squirty cream is UHT"

Harry pushed the trolley towards the checkout "When we get to your home" she informed him dryly "We're working"


	6. Chapter 6

Harry spread out the files in dated order across the floor and started by picking up the most recent; she sipped her coffee and started reading. Richard Coutts and David Middleton were both on the board of directors of the bank and their names cropped up countersigning and or agreeing to a huge variety of transactions. Harry listed those over £10,000 but soon realised that the net was cast too wide, she decided on £100,000; her list was now manageable but she realised it was probably a list of exclusion, the terrorists could only dream of those amounts. The lists began to swim in front of her eyes and the caffeine could no longer overcome her body's desire for sleep; she twisted herself to allow her cheek to rest on the sofa she had been leading against and gave in to the exhaustion brokered the previous night.

Dempsey pushed open his front door "Mission Accomplished" he announced causing Harry discover how uncomfortable she was as she tried to unbend and stand up. She was trying some of her yoga stretches when Dempsey appeared with suitcase which he slung down on top of the neatly arranged files. "Da dah!" he proudly announced.

"Don't" Harry admonished and groaned as she voiced her next words "mess those files" – the slide of the case meshed and interlaced the paperwork in one huge muddle before she'd finished speaking

"Don't say thank you" Dempsey countered

"Why would I…." Harry pulled the case onto its side and studied the front and back "… is this mine?" she asked as she tipped it back and forth to examine, pulling a face as she wasn't quite sure – it certainly wasn't one she regularly used for holidays or weekends but she thought she could remember Angela raving about the Ralph Loren checked pattern a couple of years ago

"Remind me not to use you on an identity parade"

"Are you going somewhere Dempsey?" she asked sourly

"Nope" he grinned and then suggested "you wanna a second guess?"

"You think I'm going somewhere?"

"Nooo" he tipped his head looking at Harry through his raised eyes "I think you're staying somewhere" he smoothed, still rather self satisfied

"Dempsey how did you get this case?" Makepeace challenged warily

"I broke in"

"You did what?" Harry was immediately hyped up

"Relax I wasn't seen"

"What if Robert was watching, waiting" She was incensed "or was even inside"

"Well the only watch was a patrol car in Stories Road"

"That you saw" she accused pointedly

"I'm telling you no one saw me" he countered doggedly

Harry sighed, Dempsey continued "I went in from the road round the back, Grove whatever and across the gardens and into the kitchen"

"Great so every house for half a mile saw you running through their garden" she muttered in dry sarcasm

"If you think that I'm that crap then why bother partnering me – I ain't Fry – or is that why you asked Spikings if you could dump me…" Dempsey picked the case up "…let's see… three weeks whilst I'm shot up and it's all change at the Ok Corral?" A bitterness drove through his words that surprised the both of them. He threw the case towards the hallway and was halfway there himself

"Wait James"

"What for? To be insulted?"

"No" she ran her fingers through her hair "Look I'm tired, I'm worried – this is about me, more than me – my family name and I'm just a little sensitive at the moment ok?"

"Too right" he agreed all too readily and then in a better moment of judgement put the case back down and lowered his tone of voice "Just so long as you ain't shooting me up?"

Harry didn't pander to his sensitivities "James why did you go and get me a case, you have cases, half decent Samsonite ones even"

"It's not the case it's the contents I got you Princess"

Sighing Harry stretched out a hand inviting him to pass the case. She laid it on the sofa and opened it

"Clothes!" Dempsey announced proudly "and I even got you some smalls"

Harry picked over the contents, her leather trousers, her sequin shift dress, her gold shiny blouse. On the right hand side was a cream silk nightdress and on the left some underwear; she lifted out her best designer bra and briefs, everything else was either black lace or skimpy – in fact all of Dempsey's desires.

"And pray what am I expected to do with these?" she asked rather stone faced

"Wear them?" the feeling in Dempsey's gut wasn't sitting well

Harry rooted around in the case she lifted and listed at the same time "skirt, no tights, white blouse, black bra" dropping those she picked up the leather trousers "no foot wear and" she rooted some more "no suitable top" dropping the leather she held up the dress – "Why?"

"We could go out for…" he noted her wide eyes "to…"

"This wasn't the only underwear I had clean" she pointed out

"No" he admitted "but it's sexy"

"It's Tuesday afternoon…"

"But we could…."

"…and there are 263 accounts to read through"

"..have a bit of fun"

That last word ignited the fire "FUN!" Harry screeched

"…like with the aerosol cream" he couldn't catch back his words and Dempsey ducked

"…You are the most crass, senseless, stupid, insensitive and thoughtless man I know"

"….And like you said you're a bit sensitive" Dempsey winced as he spoke but never-the-less he said it.

* * *

Adrian Fraser and Dave were pouring over the copied pages that Adrian had brought out of the Fraud squad offices.

Look "£600 left Harriet Makepeace's account on 14th June" Adrian pushed the paper around and found the other account "£600 credited to Al Hussein" he pulled some more sheets forward "The same on the 10th August, matching figures £1400 this time"

"Surely these are just co-incidences" Dave protested disbelieving

"Once maybe but look they keep coming" Adrian produced the list "look October 17th £716 both accounts again"

Faced with what seemed like cold facts Dave tried another tact "Surely payments that happened over ten years ago aren't relevant now"

Adrian gave a quizzical look and Dave knew it did count "Is the account still open?" he asked instead

"Dormant for about eight years" Adrian took some sheets from another pile "until 83"

Dave looked over his shoulder "This says Middleton"

"Yeh but look now we get big amounts of money – anything between 10 and 26K moves from the Makepeace account to Middleton to Hussein"

"Makepeace to Middleton?" asked Dave "Where would Harry get Money like that? That's all I get paid in a year"

"She's Landed Gentry isn't she"

That was news to Dave "What do you mean?"

"She's aristocracy"

The blank look on Dave's face was all Adrian needed to see "See you don't even know her; how can you be certain she's clean"

"Harry just wouldn't"

"But you don't know her"

"I know what I need to know" Dave defended

* * *

"Chas" Fry stood squarely face on more out of nerves than confidence , his neck blotchy and his cheeks pink "Uhm" good grief he had no idea how to ask for what he needed "Dempsey" he used the Lieutenants name because Dempsey usually got what he wanted "suggested this honey trap…. Ummmm …. Like put a car out there for sale and see what happens"

"What sort of car?" Chas asked "you could take one from the car pool"

Fry grimaced

"You need more than one?" Chas supposed from his face

"Oh no just the one" Fry breathed an audible sigh of relief – this was going to be ok

"So nip down and ask Mick for one of those unmarked Citroens"

"uhhhhh ummmmm it's a luxury car scam" Fry stuttered

"Yeh the Gov said they were stripping them down and fitting them with dodgy parts and offering to repair them for the new owners"

"Well I've put it out there that I have a Porsche 930"

"And have you?"

"There's a dealer in Lewisham who'll loan us a car but he wants the full price up front in case they wreck it"

Chas' eyes widened

"It's a 1979" Fry explained

"It's still worth a pretty penny" Chas pointed out

"Twenty one thousand" Fry announced more confidently

Chas gulped "And Dempsey told you to go ahead – I assume Dempsey cleared it with Spikings"

"The point is I don't actually know" Fry looked more edgy again "Only he didn't say anything this morning"

"Just twenty one thousand" Spikings derided

Chas cringed on Fry's behalf; Fry himself had turned to stone

"I suppose Dempsey thought SI10 could buy a car out of our small change"

"The plan is to return the car to the dealer" Fry began

"After Woodrow and his cronies have devalued it and Dempsey has crashed it"

"That's not part of the plan" Fry tried to explain innocently

"I know Dempsey" Spikings continued "He's still trying to teach all to drive on the right"

"Sir I'm meant to be delivering the car to Murdoch at the Gravesend Showroom on Thursday Morning" Fry was agitated

"If that car gets damaged Fry" Spikings threatened in a very calm levelled manner of reason "You'll be working for nothing sunshine"

"It won't" Fry promised but Spikings shook his head, he knew Dempsey

Fry scurried out and Spikings beckoned Chas forward "What do we know?" he asked.

"Dunno Gov, not heard from Dempsey or Makepeace; it's all quiet at Harry's place"

Spikings gave a non-committal grunt "And this scam of Dempsey's – will it work?"

"If Dempsey's…."

"You make damn sure that Dempsey is there; upstairs are screaming for results and I'm not about to tell them I've given a car away instead"

Chas noted the traditional head stroke "A bloody Porsche" Spikings moaned

"Well Dempsey likes his cars"

"We need to get some results in Chas" Spikings observed

* * *

"Peanut butter and strawberry jelly" Dempsey called out over his shoulder as he made his way into his kitchen having decided they needed sustenance. Harry continued to pour over the reams of paper in front of her not really paying attention.

James reappeared with a tray of tea "Jam to you of course" he continued as if there had been no break in the conversation

"Conserve" Harry corrected without looking up

"I used to love this when I got home from school" Dempsey placed a mug of coffee to Harry's side prompting her to look up and reach out for a slice of bread, suddenly Dempsey had her full attention

"You put jam on top of the peanut butter!" she exclaimed, her hand recoiling from the tray

"You put jam on top of cow's butter" Dempsey countered as he gulped some coffee then bit into his slice of bread "Tastes great – you should try it"

"Ugh, no thanks"

Harry watched Dempsey eat "It's no good" she slung the files back down "It's not here"

"What's not here?"

"What ever it is we're looking for"

"But you don't know exactly what we're looking for"

"No, just something that is missing"

Harry's hunger suddenly took control and without even noticing what she was doing Harry lifted one of the sandwiches to her mouth and bit into it. She took a second bite hungrily "god I'm starving" she finally admitted and taking a third mouthful she even conceded that this wasn't quite as disgusting as she had feared.

"Well now you can do peanut butter and maple syrup" Dempsey informed her "but I thought we had better uses for the maple syrup…."

Harry punched him playfully in the stomach "I'm going to have bath" she informed him "and then I'm going to bed, to sleep" she eye balled him to indicate her determination "and tomorrow we'll have to go..."

"... to the UAE" Dempsey suggested "I've never been there"

"surprisingly neither have I" Harry confirmed as she stood "but I was about to suggest Cambridge"

Dempsey wasn't really surprised by that, but her request for another yanky peanut butter and jelly sandwich was a bolt from the blue


	7. Chapter 7

When his playful comment about Harry having eaten the yoghurt for breakfast was thrown back in his face Dempsey had known this was going to be another tortuous day. He was beginning to tire of whipping up a false joviality; they were working the case so he couldn't see why they couldn't have a bit of fun in between times. He' watched Harry dress – it seemed that some of the items he'd brought back were ok after all and he'd bit his lip until she'd slipped the chain and ring over her neck.

"I kinda thought you'd wear that" was all that he'd said

Harry was right when she'd replied that 'he had no idea' – he hadn't – what was wrong with wearing his ring? He just didn't get it; she muttered stuff about 'in the office' but they were about to go to Cambridge not the factory. Sullenly he'd accepted her admonishment and said very little else on the journey up to Cambridge.

"Looks a nice place" he finally offered

"To most people – yes"

"But you ain't most people are you Harry"

She didn't bother answering.

Now he'd started Dempsey tried again "So you came here when you were 18 and hung out"

"You could say"

Dempsey nudged his partner "Guess you went wild hey?"

Contrary to his expectations Harry admitted "I had my moments" and Dempsey leaned forward with interest "Come on – spill a few beans Sergeant" he encouraged

"University students usually do" she replied giving nothing away

"Aww come on partner" Dempsey protested at the lack of information and then he tried again although he didn't know why "This place has colleges yeh? Which one was yours?"

"That one over there on the left"

"Old" Dempsey observed

"Very" was the terse reply

"And did you live there?"

"Yes in a quaint room that overlooked the river" Harry turned to her left "Look it's me that's doing the interrogation today" she protested but Dempsey wasn't listening, he was still processing the previous disclosure

"We could get a boat out"

"A punt"

Her correction drew a quizzical look from Dempsey

"It's all about straw boaters, waistcoats and placing your pole" a glimmer of a smile tried hard to break forth from the corner of Harry's mouth but she soon snapped it back with a dour announcement that 'they had arrived'

Richard Coutts was very apologetic again. He explained that he ran the UK part of the bank and left David Middleton to deal with the overseas trade. 'Yes it was more lucrative and yes he was the senior partner but between Harriet and himself David had become quite irksome in the past few years and it had seemed easier to divide up the daily running of the bank'

"I've, err" Richard coughed as he addressed Harry directly "remarried"

"That's good news" Harry smiled back encouragingly

"Yeh and I've got a little one now – James – he's 14 months old" As Richard pulled a photo from his wallet he asked "So how about you Harriett – have you met that special one?"

"Well you know" as she spoke Dempsey became fully attentive "what with the hours and all that" Dempsey was disappointed, no mention that she too had a James in her life…

"I bet you've had a fair few offers – there was always a stream of guys hoping back when I knew you" Richard teased

"And did she always knock 'em back?" Dempsey asked with genuine interest

"Well she always had to knock some back – our Harriet was a real stunner – and still is" Richard added hastily with a smile

"And you just said you're a married man" Dempsey jumped deftly in "with a kid"

"Oh it's ok; Harriet and I,… we shared a lot together…"

Harry was on edge "Well we probably should speak to David" she cut in

"He doesn't come in on Wednesday s - here" Richard passed a business card over

"Umm" Harry felt and looked awkward as she spoke "Is Jane still around?"

"She is – but not at that address – I'll look it up for you"

"I suppose you couldn't give me the rest of…" she felt awkward "…if you don't mind"

A few minutes later Harry glanced down the list "So Emma…" she let her question hang, unable to phrase the rest

"No" Richard knew exactly what the question was "No one has, not for any length of time. She wanted to come back but I'd moved on"

"So long as you're happy now" Harry shrugged

Richard smiled at the photo of James in his hand

Dempsey, irritated at being an obvious outsider grated "I thought we came here to do a job of work"

"This isn't easy" Harry complained as they left the building

"You're right there" Dempsey walked towards the car

"It'll be quicker to walk" Harry informed him

"So let's walk" Dempsey griped

Harry struggled with the interview

"Why did Robert Makepeace have access to old files?"

"He said he needed to check some old accounts – that he was having problems with a client"

"And you didn't stay with him" Dempsey scepticism self evident

"I've known Robert a long time"

"He has overseas accounts?" Harry glared at Dempsey

"Always has"

Harry didn't know that "Where?" she asked trying not to show how unsettled she was becoming

"I can't disclose clients personal information"

"UAE?" she demanded throwing in "This is a police investigation"

"Well I'm afraid I'll have to ask for your warrant" Middleton calmly retorted

"You let a man alone with everybody's records and now you want a warrant?" Dempsey mocked

"Not everybody's – just the old eight" Middleton let slip

"Come on Harry we ain't…"

But Harry cut across Dempsey "When did you last see Robert – before this Monday?" she asked

Middleton pouted "I don't know, a few years? No one actually really kept in touch after, well after you know…"

Harry knew and chose to cut back in "What do you know about investment in the UAE? Are there any payments made that have surprised you?"

"I can't watch every account" Middleton protested

"Yes but some big money has landed up with a terrorist organisation"

"How much?" Middleton asked

"10 – 25K a month"

"That's peanuts in terms of banking" Middleton ridiculed

"Ok then have you been aware of any surprisingly small transactions?" Dempsey came back with contempt

"Like I said I don't watch everything" Middleton swung around to Dempsey

"How many bank accounts does the slime ball have?"

"He means Robert Makepeace" Harry clarified

"I wouldn't know without checking at the bank, perhaps you should have asked Dick" Middleton was heavily on the self defence now

"You brought the files to blondie" Dempsey accused "you must have known what was in there"

"I don't go down and fetch paperwork" Middleton derided "I have someone do that for me"

"But did you not think it strange that Robert would want files?" asked Harry

"To tell you the truth I thought he wanted to check on how much money he would get from the divorce" Middleton justified.

Harry suddenly couldn't face it anymore "Thank you" she said closing the interview "Please don't go anywhere without informing us"

.

.

Outside Harry strode purposefully, her swinging arms thrashing back and forth "He's lying, he's spoken to Robert about the divorce, the two of them were…" Her arms stopped swinging and she buried her face in her hands "Oh god I hate being back here. David knew about… he thought the sun shone out of Robert's backside…"

Eventually Dempsey filled her long pause "You think we should go and talk to the others?"

"What you mean…" she still couldn't say certain names

"I mean there was eight of you…" Dempsey replied softly

Harry sank down, her shoulders low, her head hanging "Dempsey do you think….. I mean Robert?..."

"We have to find out Princess" he held her hand "now what about Middleton's ex wife?"

.

.

Jane Middleton was pleasantly surprised to see Harriet and once again Harry had to go through the catch up details: 'no she hadn't re married, work and all that'. Jane didn't hold back on how David 'had been driven by money, status and power; she had divorced him 3 years ago'.

She could confirm that he used to make regular trips to 'the Arab countries' because as David put it 'there was a lot of money out there and the right people needed to keep control' She 'hadn't seen Robert since their separation but although David knew she disapproved of Robert he was a frequent guest at dinner parties'. She didn't say anything about Roberts womanising but did say 'that she thought Harriet was better off now'.

Dempsey had kept surprisingly quiet during the whole ten minutes "So who's next?" he ventured as they walked back to the car. Harry looked down at the list of addresses; it seemed Joseph and Albert were destined to bachelorhood or something less desirable, both sharing a large estate out in the Cambridgeshire countryside. It would make most sense to see the other local people first, but she'd rather not see either of them at all. Robert, they had already agreed would not be on today's list, but Emma was a necessity.

Silently Harry pulled up outside the small terraced house and steeled herself, eyes closed, clenching and relaxing her fists around the steering wheel until she threw the car door open and marched down the garden path leaving Dempsey to spring out of the passenger side and launch himself after her.

The door remained firmly shut, a barrier to the past that didn't want to be opened, Harry felt part relieved – but then she knew the inevitable was only being deferred and putting the event off was only adding to the sickening dread now swirling in her stomach.

The neighbour 'just off out to the WI' reassured them that 'Emma would be back around 4.00 – she always came straight home from school to let the cat out'

When Harry failed to acknowledge the woman's information Dempsey smiled and thanked her before taking hold of Harry's hand and tugging her back down the path.

* * *

"What about these two – Albert and Joseph Campbell" Mac dropped the copies down in front of Fraser "seems they made a pretty fortune out of oil investments in the 70s".

"But it looks pretty legit" Fraser said "I've studied the ins and outs and they match the rise in oil prices – pretty astute investments if you ask me."

"I dunno, something smells to me and Dempsey always says you should follow your nose"

Fraser looked up "Dempsey – the American with attitude?"

"I guess he has a reputation" Mac admitted "but he's a good mate"

"But I'm talking about good detectives"

"Sure he's good"

"He hasn't shown this morning – that Fry was hoping mad"

"He'll be working this case with Makepeace"

"But I was told by Chief Inspector Spikings that you and I had been drafted in to investigate this with your mate Dave" Fraser emphasised _mate_

"And Dempsey's Harry's partner" Mac defended "what would you expect?"

"Sergeant Makepeace is suspended" Fraser observed dryly

"Well she's not going to be sitting on her backside at home is she?"

"This whole department is a joke" Fraser mocked "You've an ineffectual head and a load of insubordinate officers with dodgy backgrounds that you don't even know about"

"We're a team"

"Did you know Sergeant Makepeace was loaded"

"We can all be armed at any time"

"Not that sort!" Fraser did a double take "Can you?" he asked and then before being diverted returned to his scathing attack "this place is just a load of cowboys"

"Guess you won't be wanting to join us after all when this case has been sorted"

"Man this department will be lucky to be here after this case is sorted" Fraser sneered "it will go into melt down with bent and incompetent copper revelations"

Mac walked away "I'm going to talk to these Campbell brothers – I'll ask Dave if he wants to come with me"

"Mates together" Fraser scoffed


	8. Chapter 8

Harry looked at her watch, there were over 2 hours to kill - plenty of time to go and see the Albbi and Jo but she was feeling too agitated. "Look it's not helping you being here" she announced harshly

"Well it might just help if you let me in on a few of your secrets" Dempsey was barely holding his temper down

"They're nothing to do with you" was her patronizing reply

"So you think! You were pretty uptight just now" he threw his arm towards the house "what's with the leap down the path?" Dempsey demanded

The RT cut in "Control to Charlie 5: Dempsey, Makepeace where the hell are you?" They ignored it as was their custom; Spikings continued "I want you in here Dempsey – you're not at home ergo you are fit enough to be here working this scam with Fry"

Dempsey snatched the RT "Fry set it up – let him sort it"

"It's ok I can drop you back" Harry volunteered deliberately loud so Spikings would catch it

Dempsey flicked the RT off again "We could be going to the other place" he insisted

"I can handle it on my own" was her adamant claim

"You really don't want me here do you?" Dempsey's voice was dropping now

"It's awkward"

Perplexed and uncertain he enquired "Why don't you even introduce me?"

"This is my past Dempsey like I said you don't need to be here" she actually noted the hurt look on his face "Look you'd better go back to the factory else we'll both be suspended I'll drop you at the station" it was her best solution.

.

.

Harry sat totally still in her car. As the minutes passed the muscles in her body became set rigid; her past played through her memory.

- The time that she and Emma had first met - the fun times - how similar they were. The jokes they played on the boys, the nights they sat up sharing dreams and the times they shared intimate secrets of love.

Then the betrayal and hurt cut back in, all the more poignant because in some ways Emma had hurt her more than Robert. Repeatedly Harry shook her head to rid herself of all these thoughts; she needed a clear mind, a detectives mind not one screwed up with personal baggage.

* * *

Did you get car? Dempsey asked Fry

A 'V' reg Porsche 930

"Woo" Dempsey raised his brow and then nodded his head towards Spikings' office "What did the chief say?"

"O Spikings, Spikings was fine with it" Fry brazened out

"'He tell you that you'd be working for nothing if it went tits up?"

Fry coughed and Dempsey knew he was right

"Well Fry" Dempsey paused and for one brief moment Fry thought positively until Dempsey continued "he's right"

Fry felt sick

"You've brought the car into the garage here and their photographing and etching identifiers on all the engine and wheels?"

"and seats" Fry added

"Well that should set us up real good" Dempsey reassured him

"Now one of us sells the car and we give them enough time to fit all their duff parts and then one of us buys it" Dempsey started to run the scenario through "Take it for a test drive, say it sounds a bit too rough – they say they can repair it for a reasonable cost if it breaks down"

"And we bring it in here, re photograph and then when it breaks down we ask the garage to do the repairs, they put back the original parts and we bring them in" Fry finished

"So why's our friend Woodrow involved?"

"I think he's just collecting protection money off Tranton – he's the one running the operation. - Murdoch and Montpelier do the grimy engine work in Gravesend"

"Do we get Woodrow?" Dempsey asked

"No but we do get it marked up as a case solved" Chas added his two penn'th "and upstairs" he pointed with his finger "are wanting results"

"This ain't really a result" Dempsey remonstrated "not without Woodrow"

"Well you never know we might pick up some more on the way – or get one of the boys to squeal"

"It's your shout" Dempsey brooded "I'm just doing what I'm told"

Spikings had been drawn to his office doorway by the sound of Dempsey's voice "Now that's what I like to hear" he beamed

* * *

There she was, Emma walking down her garden path, her coat folded over her arm – it had been needed for the early morning chill but the sunshine had produced a mild, pleasant spring day and a large bag looking like it was in grave danger of spilling its contents slung over her shoulder. Harry smiled, it was very Emma and her bubbly permed hair still that rich chestnut colour she had discovered in their second year! She watched Emma open the front door and saw a small fluffy grey cat brush itself along her calf, mewing a welcome before weaving itself in a circuit of both her legs and the bag spilling it's contents onto the hall floor. Emma bent and picked up the cat, nuzzling her nose against that of the cats and scolding it light heartedly for the mess extruding from her bag; Harry couldn't catch most the words but 'mummy' was one and 'baby' another and previously un-thought scenarios blossomed in her mind until logic informed her that there was not going to be an unsupervised baby in the house. Before she could get herself any further confused Harry took a deep breath, steeled herself and stepped out of her car.

"Emma" she called once she'd reached the pathway, seeing the door about to close on her. Emma turned and froze, wide eyed unsure of why the past was here in her front garden. "Harriet" she greeted guardedly.

Now there was an impasse, neither knew what to say next and both stood at the respective ends of the short garden path; Harry knew it should be her, she bit her lip nervously, pushing back her hair behind her right ear "It's about a job I'm on – I need to ask you some questions"

Emma dropped the cat, what she thought was a nightmare had just become a night – no day – terror. Why were the police here? It was obviously not 'a sorry bad news job' "Are you here to arrest me?" she trembled

"No nothing like that" the reflex small smile that reacted to reassure the panic worked and Emma breathed again "Do you want to come in?" she invited, pulling her bag away from the walkway so her visitor wouldn't fall over it.

Nervously Harry stepped forward.

"Umm come through" Emma led the way down the short passage way and into the kitchen "Tea?" she asked nervously but Harry didn't reply.

Harry's eyes scanned the kitchen, it was tidy - no counting mugs, or place settings; neither were there any other easy clues two plastic dishes on the floor for the cat, a small pin board with a few money off coupons showed that money was tight and an invitation to a birthday event but no names written on it – just the why, when and where.

Emma had started to fill the kettle and the click of the on switch cleared Harry's mind "Please, thank you" Harry twisted her fingers uncomfortably.

"So what have you come to ask me?" Emma ventured as she took two cups and saucers from the cupboard and started to lay a tray up.

"Do you live here alone?"

"With Gypsy" Emma gratefully picked up the cat and stroked it

"How long…"

"About 5 years, I brought this place when…." She stroked the cat harder for something to do but Gypsy wriggled and jumped down "well I guess you haven't come about that"

"No, no – you're right of course" Harry brushed her outfit down for something to do

"I think I heard that you were in some special branch thing"

"SI10" Harry parroted

"Sounds very 'go getting'"

Harry shrugged in a non committal manner

"Bet you broke into the mans world" Emma continued, beginning to gabble – "what was it you used to say 'want a job doing properly get a women to it'"

The kettle boiled and as she poured the water into the teapot Emma continued to babble "Seems Maggie's up for any battle – what's the top job in the police force?"

"Commissioner" Harry replied automatically, a cold distance in her voice

"You think you'll make it?" Emma asked leading them into the lounge area.

Right now Harry doubted she'd still be in the force by Sunday but the question drew her back on target "I need to know anything you know about investing in oil, the Middle East and Abu Dhabi"

"I teach in the local junior school 9 year olds really are more interested in dinosaurs and Romans" Emma laughed nervously because the question made no sense to her at all.

"But what about the others – Robert…."

"Robert! He and David planned to make their fortune and never did, I think Albbi and Jo did though"

"When did you last see Robert?"

"About 6 months after you did" Emma poured the tea as a distraction; she handed Harry a cup and saucer and cradled a cup in her own hands. She flinched "look Harry I know it was all so very wrong of me and I regret that but you really had a luck escape"

Harry sat staring stone like at a blank space on the wall

"He didn't understand the term fidelity" Emma continued nervously

"I don't recall you doing that" Harry's replies were so much more cutting that Emma's forays into reconciliation

"Ok, I thought… well it doesn't really matter what I thought"

"Yes it does – it does to me – tell me Emma what were you thinking"

"I thought that you and me – that we got in a muddle – that you should have got Richard and me Robert – So when I got with Robert I thought you and Richard…."

Harry raised her eyebrows, it seemed that assumptions were rife

"Mutual comfort and …" Emma sensed the pointlessness of trying to persuade Harry "Look Robert turned out to be a serial womaniser – the chase was, probably still is, everything to Robert" the words were rushed in between long pauses as Emma tried to explain "you're…."

"…better off without him" Harry finished coldly

"You are" Emma affirmed –"look you made a new life – got away"

"I still carry the scars"

"Scars fade" Emma pronounced hopefully – look at me I've got my teaching career, my home and I'm hoping that one day soon Rick will pop the question"

Harry scanned the lounge for a picture – she found it on top of the tv; Emma followed her gaze "he teaches as well, different school though – we've been together for two years"

"You must have moved on Harriet – did you back to your maiden name?"

"No, I stayed Makepeace" she fingered her chain in an automatic reflex

"I know we never spoke since" Emma laughed nervously "until today but do you think we could…" she scanned Harry's eyes "well put the past behind us"

"The past is coming up to haunt me at the moment" Harry reflected "and it's rather ruining the present" the words left Emma speechless. Harry stood and walked towards the door "If you know nothing more I'll be going". Emma sat momentarily stunned before she scuttled past Harry to open the front door. The cat rubbed itself up against Harry and Emma bent to pick it up again as she opened the door for Harry. As she stepped out Harry turned back one last time "I hope you get your proposal and live happily ever after" she managed to say with a weak smile and then she walked as quickly as possible without it looking like a run until ensconced in her car Harry burst into tears.

* * *

The car journey should have been finished at least half an hour earlier but Dave and Mac were still en route to interview the Campbell brothers.

"What do you know about Harry?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well we stuff about each other don't we – like what football team we support, what beer we like…"

"Harry seems to be a vodka girl"

"And we talk about what we're doing at the weekend or the girls at the bar we rate"

"Well some of us do"

"And about what we're saving up for – you know money things"

"Where are you trying to get to mate?"

"Did you know that Harry was loaded"

"Who said that?"

"Your mate Fraser"

"He told me that she was landed gentry"

"Which means what?"

"That her family have land somewhere – you know Lords and Ladies 'n all that"

"Do you reckon he's right?"

"Can't see why he would make it up"

"Can't see why it bothers him"

"I think his point is that we don't really know her – she could be funding these terrorists"

"Why would she do that? She spends all her time hunting them down"

"I don't know – perhaps she makes her money from oil?"

"I thought you said her family had property"

"They're not mutually exclusive"

But she's just called Harry Makepeace – their aint no Lord or Lady Makepeace that I've ever heard of"

"Maybe she's a duchess"

"Don't be so stupid"

"Oh god this is the third time we've been past that pub – have you any idea where we're going"

"Try second right"

"She came to university here apparently"

"Doesn't mean anything"

"Yeah it does – you have to go to a posh school to get in here"

"Well she's posh – so what? She wears bow ties and old fashioned blouses but she's a bloody good cop"

"Look we're here"

"Finally"


	9. Chapter 9

The rush hour traffic was not good for Harriet Makepeace, she was crawling inextricably towards _that_ junction. A left turn would take her away out towards the west and onto the Campbell brothers, to keep straight ahead would bring her back to the M11 and to turn right… well that would take her back in time. Out of some long lost habitual movement she had already filtered into the right hand turn lane; she could indicate and return to the main body of traffic but Harry was acting rather as someone possessed and despite whether she did or did not wish to turn right she knew that in three minutes time she would be outside her marital home.

* * *

Dave took the lead in interviewing the Campbell brothers. They had been quite impressed to be questioned by SI10 and treated the whole thing rather like an adventure.

The two men readily confirmed that they had made their fortune by astute investments in oil and trade in Abu Dhabi but doubted they knew anything that the police would be interested in.  
Dave explained how the trail he'd picked up led back to Coutts Bank and there was evidence of transactions ending up in bank account of an Al Hussein. He did not expect the out burst that came from Joseph "Wouldn't surprise me if that was old Middleton and Makepeace"

Both Dave and Mac were stunned

"Why do you suggest those two names?" Dave probed cautiously

The younger brother noted the startled faces "Ooh did I score a direct hit?" he asked with obvious delight

"We are not at liberty to discuss the information" Dave parroted feeling a nauseous squirm rising from his gut

"We are just gathering the wider picture" Mac added still feeling the aftershocks of the bolt jolting through him

"Well Makepeace always wanted to get in on the scene but didn't have the money in those first few years after university..." Joseph started to explain

"Yes always highly opinionated when we went on those rallies and those debates" Albert joined in "and of course Middleton persuaded to you to pave his way into his Arab bank account"

Joseph was really quite excited now "Oh yes that would have been about 83" he turned to explain to Dave "To open an account with the ACDB you have to be recommended and I acted as guarantor" Joseph threw his hands up to his mouth "oh I hope they don't think I had anything to do with any skulduggery "

"Why would either of them have any interest in the Middle East?" Mac addressed both brothers

Albert shook his head "I have no idea but rest assured knowing those two as well, and for as long, as we have it won't be for altruistic reasons much more likely to do with financial reward"

Mac thanked the brothers for their time and information and checked when they would be able to make statements if required.

* * *

Dempsey kicked around the office, this wasn't where he wanted to be. He should be out there with Harry - why didn't she want him there? The past was the past and he was only interested in the future and he'd been imagining that quite a bit in the past few weeks. Even six months ago such thoughts had never crossed his mind; other people got hitched, set up home, had kids always _other_ people and one day he had found he'd invisibly morphed into one of those _other people. _ He'd caught himself wondering if it might be more fun to buy a new home with Harry than simply move himself into her place. The nauseating adverts on the TV showed happy couples choosing beds, sofas and kitchens and he'd sat there wondering what he and Harry would choose!

OK so his mother's ministrations had encouraged him to buy the ring in New York last thanksgiving but the timing had definitely been his.

The act of proposal had brought the reality of marriage and all the baggage that came with it to life and all of that had driven him towards recovery. The week he'd just spent at Winfield Hall had exposed him to a whole new raft of hopes and desires he'd never imagined blossoming from within his head.

And now Harry was driving him out, ok true he'd never thought about what the office would make of the ring but she seemed reluctant to put it on at all and all he could assume was that she'd said yes caught up in the emotion of the moment and now harboured second thoughts.

* * *

Dave drove off "well I never expected that" he whistled "seems this is a real can of worms"

"I don't like it; doesn't seem right somehow" Mac scratched his head "something smells – I just can't smell it"

"But they seemed genuine" Dave protested

"But Harry? We've worked with her… no way…"

"I don't know" Dave was wavering "Fraser says all this stuff"

"What are we going to do?" Mac wasn't real in on Daves conversation, it was just two bemused and uncertain men both airing their concerns alternately

"You know Fraser showed me those accounts money goes from Makepeace to Middleton to Al Hussein"

"Let's sleep on it - see what tomorrow brings"

"But where would Harry get money like that?"

"I like her"

"Do you think Dempsey knows?"

"Knows what?"

"Dunno…her background? or that she's dirty?"

"How do we know if the brothers aren't setting everything up?"

"We see Spikings in the morning"

"Agreed" finally their musing aligned

* * *

Dempsey picked mindlessly through the pile of evening papers that Tony was still accumulating, opening and discarding them in a heap that flowed from the desk to the floor.

"Seems Luscious Linda likes a party" he noted. Now looking up he read from the page "says she can find up to three friends" he directed the information towards Tony before asking him 'if he'd ever tried anything like that?'

Tony looked aghast and Dempsey laughed "Well you can't tell me you never thought about it." Dempsey wrote down the phone number and Tony watched gobsmacked.

* * *

Harry swung the car onto the driveway out of pure habit; without pausing she rang the door bell and didn't even feel relieved when it went unanswered instead she edged through the side entry and sprung the backdoor with an ease that would have alarmed her 10 years ago.

The kitchen was clean and tidy, just one mug waiting to be washed up, the fridge was stocked but the milk looked like it was about to turn. The lounge had a couple of Howard Hodgkin pictures hanging which, she begrudgingly admitted were pleasing bright colours that filled the room rather well; she noted he lack of personal photos. It was all very comfortable but gave no indication as to whether he was living alone or not. The Observer was from Monday and she rather suspected that Robert had been in London from the time of his delivery to the fraud squad. The book shelves had an increased range of thrillers and brought back memories of his fixation of spy stories; Harry huffed - books were so much more glamorous than real life. She ascended the stairs, Robert always like the box room as his study but the half open door of the bedroom beckoned.

The bedroom furniture hadn't changed and Harry could remember going out and choosing the bed and the antique pine suite. Had she been so beguiled and deluded back then? Those warm fuzzy feelings were so unreliable, she caught herself fingering the chain around her neck - if she was so certain then and got it so wrong how did she know if she wasn't making the same mistake all over again? How on earth had she let herself get so caught up in the 'will he propose and how' the magical dream of romance so that she'd completely forget the reality of implication and consequence. Angela had been so full on about Paris and the reasons that James had booked that she'd not given any thought about the actual idea of remarrying. She'd had a few boyfriends but they had been more about reassuring her that she could; most had been ditched in favour of work, a few for being downright boring and then there had been Dempsey who had crept under her radar. The route of friends then lover had been a first time for her and the wisdom of it all was beginning to concern her.

Now in Cambridge there was a re-emerging in her awareness was of her past and all she'd campaigned about back in the 70s: Women in a man's world, the right to equal pay for equal work - she'd marched for that one and led debates supporting the idea that women were as capable as men. Commissioner, she contemplated, why not? Dempsey teased, calling her Commissioner but that was because of her propensity to abide by the rules but why shouldn't she be Commissioner? Harry became acutely aware that she should be taking her inspectors exams but that hadn't been raised in the past year; she resolved to look into that.

Brought full circle in her thoughts gingerly Harry opened the wardrobe, no evidence of a woman but good grief did a solicitor need quite that many suits. Finally she found herself in his study. She sat at his desk wondering what on earth Robert would have wanted with all their bank files. The man was predominantly a selfish bastard but she'd not known him to be corrupt and she certainly couldn't imagine him being bothered by principles, misguided or not, that would drive him to terrorism after all terrorists were passionate about their cause and Robert was only ever passionate about himself. Hmm Robert loved to tell people how he was off to Winfield Hall preening himself as Lord of a Manor - god he was loathsome! Harry concentrated on the task ahead she pulled open files and started reading.

* * *

Dempsey had been touched by the irony of a full fridge and not feeling like eating anything but forced himself to produce his signature pasta dish – well the only one he could cook. He'd held back from phoning Harry's place unsure of why she hadn't come back to him and what he should say. Now at 10pm Dempsey threw the dinner he'd cooked into the bin.

He took another beer from the fridge - the cream tucked inside the fridge door taunted him – how many times had Harry rebuffed him in the past three days?

He pulled out the piece of paper from his back pocket and read the phone number he'd written down at the factory before leaving. For three minutes Dempsey tapped the phone as he contemplated his next move; The call was brief and after replacing the receiver Dempsey slung his jacket over his shoulder and left.


	10. Chapter 10

Some hours later Harry slumped over the desk with her head in her hands. Robert had a thriving business he'd moved a substantial amount of money around last October - there were no actual accounts just a folder with portfolios in with scrawlings all over them. His bank statements showed random transfers to his ADCB account but this looked to accrue higher interest and with the substantial income Robert had that seemed quite logical. Still she couldn't believe Robert would care about the Middle East it was quite obvious from here that he cared about money and acquiring as much as possible. She smiled a wry smile - he had assumed, like most people, that because she had a title and a stately home she had a substantial income, the irony being that most years the estate was lucky to break even and constantly putting off advisable structural repairs was, she knew, piling up trouble for the future. That was something Robert had never believed. Harry hated the responsibility that would come to her when her father died, she felt guilty enough leaving him with the day to day management as it was and the thought had crossed her mind more than once about the nightmare of death duties.

When it was obvious that Robert wasn't going to arrive home that evening, Harry hunted out a drink and decided that any paper work for joint bank accounts that they had shared was either long gone or stashed in old shoe boxes in the top of the wardrobe. With the bottle of vodka to keep her company she revisited her married life as recorded by receipts, bank statements and overdraft facilities. Eventually when she know longer knew if it was the vodka, her tiredness or restrained tears blurring her vision she flopped back on the bed; the stress exhausting her she slept splayed across the king size bed.

* * *

Dempsey rang the door bell and nonchantly stuck his hands deep into his pockets and then quickly withdrew them conscious of what Luscious Linda may construe about his self control. He smoothed his hands down his shirt and then fortunately the door opened.

"Hi" he breezed

"'You got a booking?" the dark haired woman asked

"We chatted half hour ago" Dempsey schmoozed

"You're alone!" The woman scanned the street in disbelief

"What you see is what you get" Dempsey held out his ands palms up

"Huh" The woman scoffed "didn't your mother ever tell you about the saying _your eyes are bigger than your belly _or in this case _your imagination is bigger than your performance" _she didn't give the impression of being impressed, but warned him "You pay for us all even if you fall over after two."

"Don't you go worryin' yourself" Dempsey drawled "I'm hungry – in fact I'm starving" he licked his lips round

"Your girl not giving you it?" She only asked because he didn't look like the kind of guy who needed to buy their services

"Can we go in?" Dempsey pushed forward "only I'm not really into al-fresco in this weather"

The door opened wider "You want them one at a time, in pairs or all at once?" she asked as he stepped inside

Dempsey smiled "I booked a foursome" he winked saucily

* * *

At 4.00am Robert let himself in. His contact in London had said it would be a few days before Harriet Makepeace would be publically disgraced- well he'd waited plenty of years a few more days wouldn't hurt. He'd kept track of all her romantic liaisons harbouring an insane growing jealousy that wouldn't let him see her with anyone else. She was his, his wife, his possession she should have stayed with him. Sleeping with other women was just a thing that he did, that men did, he'd never wanted to live with any of them - his Harriet was the one he was supposed to live with that was why he'd never moved in with any of his other women. And there she was asleep in their bedroom. Wide eyed and almost disbelieving he smiled - he had no idea why she was there but once again she would be his.

The secret would be not to wake her, not yet and he knew just what to do - he'd been pretty successful before. He knelt by the bed not wanting any pressure on the mattress to alert her and started with the faintest brush across her upper body. Harriet was in a deep sleep, he would take his time he studied her from top to toe and his arousal grew. He started tracing one breast, drawing circles around the other. Harry shuffled and he kept the touch very light dividing his attention between both sides of her body playfully keeping away from the sensitive parts for the most, allowing himself just the occasional foray he could feel her reaction, he liked the hardness he was creating. Occasionally she shifted on her back whether to move into or away from him he didn't care. He released the buttons of her blouse and exposed the rather attractive black lace that revealed the cherry redness of her peaked arousal. His finger traced the cleavage and ran under the line of lace "get off James" she scolded "I'm sleeping." The name galled him but he wasn't James and wasn't about to stop

Now his fingers played over and under her bra, her admonishment was only half hearted and Robert knew he was winning; he watched her mouth open her face turning left and right seeking out the lips of her suitor, her back arching up; his mouth met hers and their tongues clashed fiercely.

* * *

Dempsey whistled as he legged it up the stairs two at a time

He sprang through the office door, his eyes searched out Tony. "Luscious Linda ain't really very luscious" he announced "but she has some rather cute sisters."

Tony grinned "you never did?" he asked

"Four women all at once" Dempsey winked "never tried that before"

"Dempsey!" Spikings called "this bloody car"

Dempsey left Tony dumbstruck and sauntered into the inner office "Fry sells this morning 'n I'll call up and buy it this afternoon and arrange to pick it up Friday morning" Dempsey addressed Spikings "That'll give them time to downgrade it overnight."

"We're not" Spikings paused to rub his head and Dempsey knew he found the next question difficult "asking too much of Fry are we?"

"He's easy pickings - Murdoch and Montpelier will think they're boat's come in"

The truth concerned Spikings a little "And Harry?" he asked

"She's doing her thing" Dempsey gave no further enlightenment but his concern showed in his next words "I tell you boss that guy you brought in better be good"

Dave and Mac made their opportune entrance

"These two brothers said that Middleton and someone else were into money grabbing from the Middle East." Mac told Spikings

"Don't know that you'll find their testimony very helpful" Dave suggested

Spikings tapped the desk with his pen "Middleton…. isn't he one of the bank owners?"

Mac was forced to nod in assent "and his name shows in the files Fraser brought us from fraud"

"What was the other name?" Spikings asked all too innocently

Both Dave and Mac shuffled uneasily

"We asked them if they knew anything about the Middle East" Dave began, his nervousness beginning to alarm Spikings "and they suggested Middleton and... Makepeace"

Dempsey jumped to his feet and Spikings shouted to him 'to let the proper channels work' as Dempsey almost teleported to his desk. Dave and Mac saw all they had feared. Spikings asked them to contact the brothers and arrange for them to make their statements and draft two search warrants.

Spikings spotted Fraser arriving late; he looked deliberately at his watch. "It's a habit I picked up off the locals" Fraser scoffed  
"Well in that case sunshine" Fraser tightened, he'd never been called sunshine before "you'd better pick up the habit of staying on the job until it's done" Spikings countered "If there's no 9 o'clock start there certainly is no 5 o'clock finish"

Sitting at his own desk for once Dempsey got the feeling Fraser wasn't all he was cracked up to be but he knew he had to address other issues first. "Fry I cleared it with Spikings for you to take Gaynor with you - you know you can have your girlfriend up the duff need to sell the car prove you're responsible..."  
Fry looked petrified

"It's more fun than doing this stuff alone" Dempsey recommended "have you checked with Pete that all the photos have been taken and the markings done?"

"Signed off and filed"

"I'll come down and take a butchers so I know what should be missing when I pick it up."

"Take a butchers – that's very London for a Yank" Fraser commented dryly obviously more interested in the workings of the office than his own work

"Sorry I thought you were here to find the real story behind this shit Harry has been framed for"

"Well I'm certainly exposing a few truths" Fraser started to brag but the sight of Dempsey's disappearing back snubbed him. He turned to Dave "Guess you're learning new stuff about your colleagues all the time" he leered "Here I'll do those search warrants for you – I've done so many it's water off a ducks back"

Downstairs in the car pool Dempsey called across "Hey Pete I just wanna quick look under the hood"

"O shit" Fry murmured

"What's the matter?" Dempsey asked without really being interested in the answer

"We never checked about under the hood" Fry scratched the side of his head

Dempsey wasn't even listening "What's on the odometer?" he asked as he peered at the engine and the scratches Pete was showing him

"63,000" Pete answered

"Bet you a tenner it comes back at 36" Dempsey said

Pete was inclined to agree and Fry stood open mouthed quietly bricking it until Gaynor appeared.  
Dempsey smiled to see Fry suddenly stand tall "Nice car Fry" he acknowledged "now go get it sold"


	11. Chapter 11

Wide eyed and startled Harry had bit Roberts tongue before kneeing his balls and throwing him onto the bed arms behind his back and kicking him again in his most vulnerable parts. She stood back to secure her clothing and Robert twisted round in rage.

"You've drawn blood" Robert spat the blood from his mouth onto Harry "What the hell?" Harry demanded

"You were in my bed" his words distorted slightly with the pain

"On" Harry countered

"Same difference" Robert mocked

"Not in court – you're the lawyer"

"Oh you wanted it darling. Just like you always did - you can't drill your writhing body into me like that and then claim rape" Robert laughed mercilessly "See if your downtown man likes his posh bitch playing around." He spat more blood "You do realise that it can never work with him - culture clash and all that – still I bet it was exciting at first – a bit of rough" Robert resorted to dabbing his tongue with his handkerchief "Not your usual type Harriet" he dabbed his tongue again, Harry feeling sickened just absorbed the tirade "tell me - does he like the hooker look? Only I heard that went visiting last night" Robert smiled with total insincerity "since you weren't there." He paused to note how she would hide her disappointment – not well he noted "see those street level men they need their satisfaction"

His goading finally produced a reaction "And this is from a monster who screwed with my friend in our bed - you can have nothing to say - the gutter will always be too good for you" Her tone was bitter "Tell me Robert, did you ever care for me or did I just get chosen as the best jump up you could gain?"

"Well look Emma turned into a school teacher and Jane has reached the dizzy heights of WI president." His searing distain for the ordinary was all she had come to expect "You, Harriet, you always wanted to be someone, be the top dog." Harry stared at Robert "Lady Harriet Commissioner of the Police - is that still your goal? Or is your lieutenant going to hold you down until you both get thrown out for insubordination?" Robert cackled "Mind you from what I hear from my sources I think you'll be gone before the lieutenant"

"Your sources Robert - who are they?"

"Well now darling wouldn't you like to know - you're the detective - oh sorry you're suspended"

"Jo acted as guarantor for your ADCB." Harry was forced to fish

"Yes dear Joseph and Albert they love the Middle East… and the culture … and the climate"

"But yours was just a cold investment"

"David was always on about best financial investment so I invested -simple really" Robert was still dabbing his tongue which was now swelling and his speech more difficult to deliver and understand but Robert loved to boast "Don't know why David didn't follow his own advice he lost a pretty penny on black Monday and I had to bail him out" he smiled to himself with satisfaction "Robert Makepeace bailing out Coutts Bank - don't think old Dicky Coutts knew how much shit David had got the bank into. Bit of an innocent one our Richard - you should have gone for him Harriet much more your type"

Harry suddenly reached up to her neck, fingering for the silver chain, Robert saw her eyes widen in panic and he smirked horribly. His gaze flicked to the bedside table and Harry reached out and grabbed both chain and ring "Well we couldn't have that pressing between our bodies whilst we were busy doing it darling" his words made Harry heave and defiantly she pushed Dempsey's gift onto her left hand; she picked up her handbag and walked out.

"I needn't have bothered getting you stitched up you just did it all yourself – breaking into my home rifling through my paperwork with no sign of a warrant..." Robert called out after her until he heard the door slam.

At 5.00am Harry sat stunned in the car, fiddling with the ring, twisting it back and forth; confusion crashing down in waves and threatening to drown her.

Fact 1: Robert Makepeace was the most loathsome man she knew

Fact 2: Her and Dempsey were like chalk and cheese

Fact 3: She'd lost track of her aspirations

Fact 4: If she married Dempsey they could no longer work together

Fact 5: At a time when she was meant to be so happy she felt so damn miserable

She noticed the bedroom curtain move; _he_ was watching her – _she_ drove off. Full of indecision Harry wanted to feel James hold her but didn't want to talk to him – she needed to work this out herself

Angela would just tell her women were made to enjoy life – there was no need to prove anything so long as you were having fun. And having fun was just the last year had been about…She had a watch outside her home, she most certainly didn't feel inclined to return to that and she couldn't burden her father… The problem was here, in Cambridge and here was where she would find resolution.

When quite randomly Emma was disturbed by the cat meowing before 6.00 in the morning she was somewhat surprised to see Harriet Makepeace for the second time in 24 hours. She was even more surprised to be greeted by her more intimate friendship name of 'M' and the flood of tears that flowed from that one sound.

She'd finally managed to get 'Nee', a long term corruption of Winfield to Winnie to Nee, to drink tea and eat cereal and allowed her to witter aimlessly with recollections of uni life until both were gone.

Emma had spotted the engagement ring, she couldn't miss it – Harry was still twisting it left then right, left then right, the surrounding skin was fast becoming raw. "You weren't wearing that earlier" she observed softly "Do you want to talk about it"

"You were right M" she held her hands clasped tight "I'm better off without Robert" the rubbing started again "It's just that the bastard is still there, still screwing" my life up was what she was going to say but the phrase stuck in her throat at that word "still destroying my life" She looked up "It's like he's planted slow release death capsules that keep breaking open and now…

"Now Harriet you're going to purge him once and for all"

"I don't know M - it's all just got rather confusing, it's not just him…."

"Well my counsellor" Harry jerked "Yes I needed help" Emma confirmed "Always told me to talk about the good things" Emma looked at her watch "and I've got a whole 35 minutes before I need to leave for school so I want all the lowdown on the hunk who gave you this ring; start by telling me his name…"

At 7.45 Emma promised Harry that she could be back for lunch at 12.15 and invited Nee to make herself at home, have a bath, borrow anything she wanted. She assured her that Gypsy was a rather fantastic cat and a great listener and as if on cue the warm bundle planted itself on Harry's lap.

* * *

Gaynor burst through the doors of SI10 "How cool was that" her eyes were wide, expectant, thrilled; by contrast Fry looked like a washed out dish rag clutching rather nervously a brown envelope that he knew would not earn him any thanks.

"So how much did you get for it?" asked Dempsey

"Woodrow said it would be less for cash" Fry began his defence

"Sixteen?" guessed Dempsey, Fry turned beetroot

"He's a hard man and Paul had to get him to buy the car" Gaynor butted in in support.

"Jeeze they won't need to scam the bloody car, they'll make a fortune as it is" Dempsey cried

"Twelve" Fry muttered

Spikings emerged from his inner sanctum; Dempsey waved the envelope "Easy pickings"

"Wait a minute – where are you off to?" Spikings demanded of Dempsey

"Thought the plan was to go buy a car" Dempsey waved goodbye and pulled Gaynor by the hand with him "Might be best not to witness the next bit" he assured her "but I'd be waiting for him if I were you"

"He's not my…."

"Honey we all call him Fry, you called him Paul" Dempsey winked and it was Gaynors turn to blush. "Now I need another10 grand cash before I can go buy myself a Porsche" Dempsey reminded Gaynor "your turn to do the necessary"

* * *

Emma insisted that she hadn't done much but the listening ear of her cat, a few wise questions and her own obvious contentment had helped Harry a lot. She had left Cambridge after their early lunch, promising Emma to keep in touch, keep things in proportion, take one step at a time and have some fun. Well she hoped to keep them anyway.

Harry went directly to the stables at Winfield Hall; she galloped her favourite horse Maverick until she felt it unfair to push him any more. The chilled air blew through her until her mind was finally empty and the thrill of the open country, the long views and hopeful bird song was all that registered.

* * *

At 3.30 Dempsey breezed back into the office and tossed the early edition of the Evening Standard to Tony. "Page 31, Lovely luscious Linda has downsized her offer today" he observed

"So she's advertising one on one" Tony read

Dempsey rolled his eyes, look at the rest of them – those adverts don't change from one week to the next - same girls, same promises, and same box numbers so why do you think Linda don't do that?"

Tony looked blank

"You were the one who told me your jewellery scam was using the small ads to communicate" Dempsey slid alongside Tony and spoon fed him in a whisper "Each one of those sisters last night had some real big jewels about them, said they were gifts their clients had left behind" Dempsey dropped his voice further

"Long drop ruby earrings, real big stones – one of them was this washboard of a flat belly with a fantastic sapphire planted in her navel" He eyeballed Tony knowingly but Tony's mind was racing "tight arse, big boobs? which one do you recommend?"

"Well now let me put it another way – when I told them that a friend called Petrov recommended I try the place little Lily got rather tight" Dempsey waited until finally the penny dropped

"Big paste jewellery" Tony mouthed

"Exactly" Dempsey nodded

"Petrov" Tony mouthed again

Dempsey nodded again

"I bet they looked real sexy" Tony whispered

Dempsey shook his head, not really surprised at all "Pretty hot looking babes" he admitted – I'm sure you won't be short of volunteers to bust the place.

* * *

It wasn't until after her second steaming bath of the day and one of Abbott's pheasant pies was warming her belly that Harry noticed the large parcel parked by the door.

Freddy noted her interest "Ah yes" he said by way of explanation "James' order has arrived"

Harry cocked her head

"He said something about batters and pictures – could decide if he was talking about cooking fish or what" Freddy smiled "I'm getting a bit Mutt and Jeff"

Harry groaned "Dempsey's been teaching you cockney rhyming slang"

"Well I must say it's all very clever" Freddy concurred

Harry walked over to the box, she lifted gloves, face guards, bats … "Catchers, batters and pitchers" she said before turning to Freddy "It's all for baseball" she explained "What on earth had Dempsey had this lot sent for?"

"Oh yes" Freddy remembered "He promised the boys at the local school they could learn baseball – seems it's better than rounders or cricket…" Freddy announced proudly.

Harry bit her cheeks to hold back her smile, but it failed; she shook her head wondering what on earth Dempsey had in mind – she had no idea but she found herself liking it, it felt warm. She slipped her arm through Freddy's "I'm back in London first thing" she told him "So why don't you fill me in on all your news."

Over the phone Harry told Dempsey that his parcel had arrived and that she would be in the office in the morning. Dempsey told her that the he'd solved her jewellery scam and by tomorrow his little project with Fry would be over so they could be back working as partners by Monday.

There's just the small problem of my suspension Harry had been forced to point out "Hell that's what Friday afternoon's for" Dempsey had assured her as he slugged more beer; that was her Dempsey – Harry bit her lip and smiled once again.


	12. Chapter 12

Harry was disappointed not to see Dempsey as she pushed the door to SI10 office open.

Fraser nudged Dave and Mac who looked up and dipped their heads back down in embarrassment.

Fry put the phone down and breathed a sigh of relief "Dempsey's just brought the car in" he announced "I'm going down to the yard"

Acutely aware of the uneasy atmosphere Makepeace grabbed the opportunity "I'll join you"

As the door closed Fraser shuffled his papers "She's suspended and shouldn't be in here" he pointed out

"But she works here and needs to find out how things are going" Mac justified

"We don't know where she's been for the past days – just that she hasn't been home – I wonder why that is?" Fraser mooted

"Does it matter?" queried Dave

Fraser rolled his eyes "You really don't know anything about her" he pointed out pompously

Spikings strode in through the main door and passing Fraser on his way to his office he flicked his fingers; holding his hand out he demanded the search warrants. He made it into his own office before he read the detail and twisted on the spot to yell out of the door "What bloody idiot drew this up?"

All three men looked perturbed

"187 Camberwell bloody Grove" Spikings shouted

"That's Harry's address" Dave confirmed

"And bloody Robert Makepeace lives in sodding Cambridge" Spikings returned to the three men, threw the paperwork onto the desk before picking it back up and looking to see who had prepared the papers.

"Robert Makepeace was known to have unsupervised access to bank records" Spikings spoke very purposefully "and is known to be an associate of David Middleton – We now have statements from the Campbell brothers to this effect and" he threw the paperwork down a second time in front of Fraser "now have no authority to move" Spikings turned to Dave instructing him 'To get an emergency warrant ready for lunch time'

Dempsey had missed Fry by coming up the back stairs; his whistling jarred with Spikings dark mood "Ah Dempsey" he launched dryly "I want you to go through all this paperwork with a fine toothcomb."

"Boss I need to get out on the road – take the car back, for the last refit"

"This won't take long Lieutenant – The boys have been working on it for two days I just want you to find what these clowns have missed"

"Aww Boss you know I don't do paperwork"

"If we don't sort Harry out you'll be doing a shed load of paperwork" Spikings reminded him as he returned to his own office

Dempsey picked up the files and laid out the sheets of figures. It wasn't long before he looked concerned and in turn Dave and Mac did likewise. Dempsey turned to Fraser "I thought you brought us the files"

"I can't bring you the actual files" Fraser scorned

"These are Xeroxed" Dempsey remarked

"What?"

"Xeroxed"

"Photocopied Harry explained" as she walked in

"I copied the information you need to know" Fraser justified

"And you can't tell what has been altered when unless you can study the actual ink" Makepeace walked over

"And you are violating this investigation" Fraser pointed out

Mac butted in "Harry what do you think is going on"

"I think I've been set up"

"By whom?" asked Dave

"Robert Makepeace"

"What would motivate someone to forge bank statements implicating you?" Fraser demanded

"Jealousy"

"Of what" Fraser was sceptical

"I recently completed my divorce" Harry admitted

"Had Robert been hoping to gain more in the divorce settlement?" Mac postulated

"I believe it was for spite rather than financial gain" Harry so hated sharing personal information

"He doesn't approve of your new lover – I assume you have one" Fraser glanced around the room "is he here?"

"That has no relevance to the case" Harry protested

Fraser smiled "oh so it's a she not a he – you're gay"

Spikings put his head around the door. "The Porsche is ready Dempsey"

"Me 'n Harry will do the necessary" Dempsey walked over to Spikings, his eyes, more than his words, betrayed his contempt "That numbskull brought us copied files"

Dempsey and Makepeace walked down the stairs, out of the SI10 building - Harry protesting violently "Great now it seems the whole of SI10 think I'm a lesbian"

"Well it kinda takes the heat off us" Dempsey grinned

"I'm not having anybody thinking that" she retaliated

With Fraser dispatched to return with files from Fraud Dave confided in Mac "We don't know anything about Adrian Fraser"

"Except that he's not so good as he makes himself out"

"Exactly – we don't know about his income"

"Or his parents"

"Or what posh nob school he went to"

Mac laughed "It was probably a scummy comprehensive"

The two simultaneously turned to Chas' computer and typed in Adrian Fraser. It delivered scant information – his DOB and his rank.

Chas arrived back and read the screen "Is that our friend from fraud?" he asked

"Is it true that Harry…" Dave tried to work out what to say

"He thought we should know…." Mac began at the same time

"Are those the accounts?" Chas asked as he nodded towards the paper laden desk

"They're the ones from the 80s the 70s bundle is in the blue folder" Dave watched Chas leaf through the blue folder as he spoke

"You've got no account of Harriet Winfield" Chas quickly observed

"Harriet Winfield? Why would we?" Dave asked nervously

"It's Harry's maiden name" Chas stroked his chin

"God I never thought…" Dave sighed

"I always just assumed Harry was born Makepeace" Mac felt less guilty – he'd only worked for SI10 for the past 6 months

Chas picked up the files Harry had brought back that morning "What are these?"

"Oh that's all our own records on the Middle East terrorist organisation and the links back to Coutts Bank" Dave replied finding his self esteem again

Chas shared his quiet wisdom "The Gov wants you find how Harry got framed"

* * *

The rather sick sounding Porsche made it to Cambridge and Dempsey had flown into Coutts Bank, flashing his ID and demanding 'to see the real files'. Richard Coutts had looked totally bemused as Brian Jones, the lanky runner knew exactly where to find copies of the accounts held by fraud squad and once pushed by Dempsey in a very typical Dempsey manner he had now gone off to locate the original ones David Middleton had asked him to collate and hide a few weeks ago.

"Tell me about you wedding" Dempsey asked without taking his eyes from the page in front of him

"I really don't want to talk about that" Harry said through gritted teeth; having access for the first time to accounts that seemed to show money moving from her via David Middleton to Al Hussein all she really wanted to do was to curl up in ball of pity and cry.  
Dempsey had seemed impervious to her feelings, driving in the dodgy car he had spent half the journey listing all the parts that had been changed overnight; the other half he's spent sweet talking to and nursing the damn car to keep rolling in a forward direction.

"Your wedding" Dempsey repeated

"And I told you I don't want to talk about my past"

Dempsey turned and stared at her; hating her for holding him out of her past, feeling her slipping out of his life "The date?" he asked coldly

"Friday Sept 17th 1976" she echoed back with frozen words

The iciness slid by him; his eyes lit with the broad grin of satisfaction that was his face "So why are there bank records of a Harriet Makepeace running back into February 74?" Dempsey looked straight at Harry with triumph "We have him" he announced.


	13. Chapter 13

Harry's response to finding that thread that would unravel the whole false accusation had been to freeze; not a reaction that Dempsey was expecting; she sat there cold, emotionless and not even flinching, stunned, literally petrified. James instructed a timely Dave and Mac, who had finally started to use their own brain and decided that the bank not Fraud would be the best place to look for genuine records, to take Brian as well as David Middleton and Robert Makepeace into custody along with the real and faked accounts.

Dempsey drove fairly randomly until he could see green parkland and the river; he pulled up in a side road and walked around the car, opening the passenger door he told Harry 'that they were going to walk'  
The path through the trees led onto an open grass area and down to the river. Dempsey kept his silence, waiting and hoping; he started to follow the riverside path to the right but Harry started to lead the way left. Soon they had crossed the river and were standing in front of Kings College. Still she didn't speak but now their march had slowed to a meander as they followed the cobbled street into the centre courtyard. The view took Dempsey's breath away; Harry wove through the square patterns made by the paths and Dempsey felt relieved to note a calmness begin to show in her eyes. Apart from a squeeze on her hand when he felt bold enough to venture some contact he let her dictate the pace and the route and now they were standing in the famous chapel.

The huge vaulted ceiling was catching a rehearsal for evensong and the words of the Magnificat seemed to echo hope to Harry

_And his mercy is on them that fear him :  
throughout all generations._

_He hath showed strength with his arm :  
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts._

_He hath put down the mighty from their seat :  
and hath exalted the humble and meek._

_He hath filled the hungry with good things :  
and the rich he hath sent empty away._

She stood still and sucked in the elegance, peace and serenity. They didn't move for a full ten minutes but finally Harry released Dempsey and wandered on. He watched and waited, she seemed to enjoy old things and tradition and certainly there was something in here that resonated in ones soul.

For the nth time Dempsey heard the choir sing

_As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :  
world without end. Amen._

and he wondered on the truth of that.

Harry returned to where Dempsey was standing "'You ready?" she asked

"Whenever you are Princess" Dempsey smiled, finding all the uncertainty much harder than he showed outwardly.

Back out into the daylight Harry shivered

"'You cold?" Dempsey made to remove his jacket

"No just letting some ghosts go" she smiled weakly and drew another deep breath and another shiver before turning to look into Dempsey's eyes for the first time that day

"You know it's not all ruined" she surmised

"Seems like there's still plenty of students enjoying themselves" Dempsey observed "what say we go get one of those punts partner – they look kinda fun"

Harry closed her eyes, breathed in and silently told M that she was keeping her promise. She smiled as she opened them "there's just one thing first" she spoke as she lifted her silver chain over her neck and seconds later she slipped the ring onto her finger. They exchanged a smile.

"I'm counting that is the third just one thing" Dempsey teased in his usual convivial manner - it was over half an hour later, Harry had insisted that they do this properly and found somewhere that sold traditional picnic wicker baskets, proper champagne flutes and the contents to fill both.  
They approached one of the hire points…

"Just don't leave the pole behind" the young student had advised which is promptly what Dempsey did on his first push. Well it had made Harry laugh, so that was good enough for Dempsey. He accepted the pole from the boy and made damn sure he didn't leave it behind again.

Dempsey made a few comments about the place being old, charming and totally enchanting and Harry had trailed her hand through the water, the coldness numbing her fingers but the romance awakening her softer side. She said very little other than 'it was all quintessentially very English' but gained a lot of pleasure.

Dempsey thought Harry looked divine – well he always did – but here she could be the beauty in one of the old masters. He didn't understand why she had shut him out of the last few days but despite his own hurt he was determined to put the shine back into the crystal blue eyes he had so recently invested his eternity in.

Harry thought Dempsey look so real; she adored his eyes - the way they looked at her and all that they said without needing words. There was his sultry look that made him look so ruggedly handsome, that combined with the leather bomber jacket, the open neck shirt, the t shirt below could make her weak at the knees but best of all she loved it when he laughed and the smile from his lips curved up to meet the smile from eyes dipping down somewhere around the level of his ears. Maybe, she hoped, by the end of the weekend she'd she those again.

Twenty minutes later they'd pulled over by a grass strip and were looking onto the back of Trinity College; even if it had failed to dry the ground the sunshine had finally warmed the air and Dempsey and Makepeace certainly looked like lovers together in the punt. The picnic basket empty bar the champagne bottle and glasses, Harry lay back with her head in Dempsey's lap and let him play with her hair.

"It was kind of you to get the local school Base Ball stuff but I'm not sure if old George Brooks will know all the rules" Harry started

"I'm with you there" Dempsey kept his fingers brushing through the blonde strands of hair

"Seems a pity for it all to sit in the cupboard"

Brightly Dempsey explained "I said I'd teach them"

Harry looked perplexed

"A Saturday morning club" he added

Harry scratched the back of her head and studied James' genuine seriousness; that warm feeling she'd felt before was back again "One Saturday doesn't make a club" she was forced to point out

"But a lot of Saturdays we don't have to work…" his fingers moved from her hair to tracing over her face "… or stay in London" He bent down to kiss her but the punt rocked, threatening to wetten its occupants and they both sat up sharply "Well I'm guessing I still rock your boat" James laughed and Harry joined him.

"Do you think that heap will get back to London?"

Dempsey shrugged "Doesn't matter if it does or not"

"I really don't want to spend my day waiting for the AA to take me back to London"

"I've just gotta get on the ol' bone and tell them the car is crap, get them to repair it and then job done! - documented evidence and even the Boss'll be happy"

"Oh yes Dempsey what's all this with teaching my father Cockney rhyming slang?"

"Me 'n your old man had a great week" Dempsey smiled

"No doubt opening all the best bottles" Harry scolded lightly

"He's got quite a collection" Dempsey admitted

Harry slipped her arm through Dempsey's, they were walking back through the colleges to where the Porsche had been abandoned earlier and Dempsey made an instant decision to go for it. "I looked through the old family albums; saw you naked on the sheepskin rug" he skipped quickly past photos of her childhood "and all your pony club triumphs and…" again he skipped how she looked like her mother, photos of those Irish holidays she had told him about to the issue he wanted, and yet didn't want, to address "…you graduation and your wedding"

"Freddy had no right to show you those" The clouds above darkened, a portent of the change in mood

"Harry you can't keep me out"

"I don't see why not, it has nothing to do with you"

"You think not?" he began "You yourself told me that the reason why you threw me out – what 6 weeks ago - was because of _him_"

"Well you've seen what a complete bastard he is now"

"But these things can't but help shape us" Dempsey paused before he lost it, finally after a long moment he admitted "Coltrane got to me"

Harry held her silence, Dempsey was unsure if it was out of stubbornness or hurt – knowing Harry he was inclined to the former. "Come on Harry" he encouraged belying his own needs "This place is magical, you must've had a great time here, made some good friends…" he left his words hanging

Eventually Harry took hold of them "Some that turned out to be a huge mistake"

"It's all stuff that brought us together Tinkerbelle" Dempsey stopped and leaned with his back square against the wall of the building there were skirting "No Coltrane and I wouldn't be standing here now" he looked straight into the nothingness of the grey clouds "no Cambridge, no mistakes – you wouldn't be here with me now"

Harry took the adjacent bit of wall "It's hard" she finally admitted

"So don't keep me out"

"I never told anyone the details" Harry waited building up strength to say her next words "I've talked to her, …..to Emma" she had to wait again, the wait was killing Dempsey "the bastard did it to her too" Harry laughed nervously "seems she really did do me a big favour". Her back, likewise, set against the wall Harry reached out sideways to find Dempsey's hand again "We've talked a bit, she's actually helped me – funny that really" Dempsey lightly massaged Harry's fingers, these moments in between were so long and thus so painful to bear the wait "She's got a new guy now" on edge Harry bit her lip and another nervous laugh followed "M's still dreaming of her proposal" Harry squeezed Dempsey's hand, trying to build the courage to connect, she couldn't get as far as turning to him and the words she wanted to say stuck in her throat, she squeezed his hand tightly "I recommended Paris"

James felt totally rung out and he was actually shaking as he rotated about their joined fingers and pulled her into a hug.

* * *

"Drop dead gorgeous" Emma said as she took the flowers from Harry. She had noted the red Porsche parked in front of her house and decided that the past 48 hours had been that surreal she had no idea what to anticipate. Harry and her guy had sprung out of the car as soon as she had reached the corner of the street, giving her a few moments to check how the reality compared to Nee's description yesterday morning.

"You like the flowers then" Dempsey remarked, secretly rather pleased to know Harry been talking about him

"M Dempsey needs to make a few phone calls related to work and this pit of a car"

"Sure" Emma consented leading them up her garden path

Emma brewed the tea, Dempsey swore down the phone and Harry petted her new best friend.

"Gypsy seems to have really taken to you" Emma noted

Harry continued to stroke the cat "We shared a lot" she smiled.

Dempsey reappeared in the lounge "I'm getting the car taken back to Gravesend and told them I want it ready for tomorrow"

"You're not pushing them too fast are you?" Harry sounded concerned "they've got a lot to put back on it"

"They're raking the money in, Spikings wants his cash back like yesterday"

In the end Emma was rather wowed by the car outside being part of a scam, and rather wide eyed with Harry's update from the Dave at the bank.

"So Robert Makepeace doesn't support the terrorists?" Emma clarified

"Not specifically, he just wanted my named blackened and was prepared to pay anybody any amount to make that happen. David Middleton owed him a favour and arranged for his side kick Brian to do the dirty work – all Robert had to do was collect some accounts from the bank and take them to the Fraud squad"

* * *

Dempsey returned to London with the AA and Harry decided to catch up with the latest at Coutts Bank, she was determined to find the link between Middleton and the terrorist funding – even if it took her all night.


	14. Chapter 14

Dempsey was knackered, his stomach hurt like hell and he new he'd done too much. At least he'd picked up the car and driven it round to Fry, pumping his ego to finish the job himself had barely been needed, the suggestion 'that he use the car for the weekend to take Gaynor out' had registered well with Fry who quite understood that the workshop didn't do weekends. Dempsey lay sprawled across his settee, beer can open and pizza box nearly empty, the TV telling him how many score draws there were that day. He felt just a little guilty that he'd not used any food in the fridge and that in turn made him miss Harry which in turn produced today's dilemma – when should he call her?

Dave and Mac had taken in everything relating to her maligned character and the fraudulent doctoring of hers and Roberts bank accounts. That had left Makepeace with access to the bank records of Middleton and Al Hussein and although she had fallen asleep for an hour at 2.00am and again between 5.00 and 8.00 she had finally completed the trail she and Dave had followed back from the Middle East to David Middleton and she could see how he sucked money from Coutts bank into the terrorist organisation.

It had taken more than the morning to log the various comings and goings in the relevant accounts but sheer determination to prove she could cut the mustard drove Harry on. Frank, the bobby left as observer, had faithfully kept her supplied with caffeine boosts and he hadn't blinked an eyelid when her choice of a sandwich had been peanut butter with strawberry jam.

She just missed the London train and sat chilling in the cold, lifeless station waiting room; the next train seemed to stop at every village; the taxi driver took his opportunity to choose the longest route he could get away with and it was 5.00pm before Dempsey sat himself up, flicked the TV remote to off and gathered her into his embrace.

"You crossed all the 't's" he asked as he stroked her hair, aware of the total relief washing over him. Gosh he'd not realised how tight he'd been until the wound up coil of fear for the future was released; Harry had come to him.

"Umm and dotted all the 'i's" her chilled body drew warmth from Dempsey at every point of contact, of which there were many "Bloody Middleton is so greedy he couldn't care how he prospered and who got trampled on in the process"

"So what about this terrorist group?" Dempsey massaged some warmth into her

"They promised him multi billions when they got to control the oil fields"

"So no mis-placed principles?"

"Just greed" she held his clasp around her "like it always is"

This determination was what made him so proud of her "Come here Commissioner" he sighed as he cradled her on the sofa; by the time he'd kissed her hair she was already asleep and he had barely told her "I love you" before he too joined her.

.

Dempsey released himself and placed a couple of cushions under Harry's head. He placed the pizza box and beer can in the bin, hung his coat up next to hers and put his shoes away. His place never looked as pristine as hers but it was at least what he called tidy. Not many minutes later he sat on the edge of the sofa and stroked her hair "food Princess" he said

Harry stirred, opened and closed her eyes murmuring nothing in particular other than she intended to sleep for the rest of the weekend.

"I've got smoked salmon, with cream cheese on granary" he wafted the open sandwich across of her, but Harry was still not wanting to stir.

"Good choice" she muttered softly so as not to wake herself

Dempsey tore a square of bread with topping off and placed it on her lips.

"Mmmm" she appreciated as she ate and pushing herself just a little more upright "You can feed me" she consented.

James fed her three more bite size portions before he picked up a green olive and ran it around her lips forcing the tip of her tongue to follow him until he suddenly conceded and popped it into her mouth.

Harry rotated onto her side "more" she yearned

The next olive bounced lightly on and off her lips four times before she caught it "salmon next" she requested now opening her eyes and as she opened her mouth to be fed the bread she closed her lips on his finger tips, inviting him to up the game.

The watercress brushed her nose and cheek and her tongue danced trying to catch the salad. Dempsey played the olive on her nose and Harry formed her mouth into a perfect O taking his finger rather than the food, her tongue playing itself across the end; she protested when he withdrew and her eyes started to tango with his as he allowed her to draw it back in.

She burst out laughing and reaching out to the tray parcelled some bread around the salmon and popped the offering in his mouth. At first they continued to take it turns to feed the other but as the teasing increased the food became less important and the cream cheese seemed to be on Harry's nose and she deliberately missed James' mouth, so she had reason to wipe the the corner of his mouth, never missing the opportunity to play her finger along his lips, across his teeth and let him nibble at or kiss her fingers.

The wine was a red, Dempsey's choice made for him by the contents of cupboards. He was the first to hold the glass for her to drink from and she had protested when he made to drink his own, insisting on reciprocating the offer.

It was when the wine drinking got intertwined with last few olives that the inevitable followed and red wine soaked through Harry's blouse and dripped onto her skirt.. James followed her into the kitchen as she undressed and ran to the sink to deal with the stain.

His desire raged at inferno level as he took in the view of her in bra and briefs with the vinegar in one hand asking him to pass her the salt crystals. He came from behind her, his hands playing over her belly and although she was concentrating on her task in hand she gave no protest to that or his series of kisses running around her neck. His hands ran upwards and delighted in holding the weight of her breast, his fingers edging around and under the lace.

"Maple syrup or the squirty cream" he groaned as his tongue played with her ear and he reached out to the fridge. Harry's next action left him reeling; she swivelled into him, gave him the most promising long, lingering, deep and provocative kiss he thought he might not actually make it to any next stage. What astounded him so much wasn't her next words "why not both" but the ones after "but I'm going to have a deep hot bubbly bath with another glass of red first"

"First?"

"First" she smiled wickedly

"Might as well wait til after" he ran his finger down from her waist, over her hips with very little objection "It could get messy"

"Yes" she agreed, now restricting his hand from the inside of her underwear "but I'm really looking forward to my bath" she wriggled away "first"

"Harry you'll kill me" he protested "If it's a long bath I might not be able to wait" he raised an eyebrow to see if there would be any objection, after all the said items would still be in the fridge tomorrow.

"Give me time to enjoy a glass of wine" she twirled her body in front of him and picking up the un-spilt glass carried that with her towards the bathroom. Dempsey poured himself another glass and opened the fridge to check his contents were still there. He rubbed the back of his neck 'bloody hell she was so hot'; he stood in front of the open fridge for ten minutes, the chill cooling him but the contents setting his imagination on fire. He tidied up the try of food by eating the leftovers and decided that Harry had had long enough on her own; he had just started to unbutton his own shirt when the door bell went.

Without thought Dempsey answered the door and before he had a chance to react Dave and Mac had stepped forward into the hallway. Mac waved the cans, "Wow you're in mate" Dave exclaimed "We saw your light and it's months since we had a drinking night" Mac added as they moved towards the lounge.  
"Is it just you two?" Dempsey asked as he looked out down the street and answered his own question as he saw Bob and Tony turn onto the path and skip past him into his own home.

The guys flowed into the lounge where the TV was on and Dempsey's beer can was stood half drunk on the coffee table

"Hey it's months since we've had a guys night round here" Bob announced

"So where were you all going?" Dempsey asked as he followed them in and looked for somewhere to sit now his sofa and arm chair were full of self imposed guests

"We were going down to the Green Man, they show match of the day on TV down there" Mac explained

"Yeh but we can watch it here – it's fine" Tony suggested

"You have got more beer haven't you?" Dave thought to check

"Sure, in the fridge" Dempsey was still reeling from fast pace of invasion; before he could volunteer to get it Tony had jumped up and reached the kitchen. Dempsey followed him scanning the kitchen for evidence that Tony might pick up on but Tony only saw dirty dishes, the number of plates or wine glasses or that Dempsey wasn't known for home cooking all flew well under his radar. That the fridge contained food as well as beer also failed to register. Tony tossed two cans to Dempsey and picked up a four pack and made his return to the lounge.

Dempsey held back and slid in the direction of the bathroom. He eased the door ajar and noted that Harry was no longer in the bath; he pushed the door open more.

Harry had wrapped a towel round herself and was desperately trying to formulate a plan or excuse. Having studied the lack of anyplace to hide, or any route out, she was now desperately trying to come up with an excuse. She decided to brazen it out and was waiting to see who was entering the bathroom

"Harry" Dempsey whispered

"Don't bloody squash me" she hissed as the door opened onto her

Dempsey shut the door behind him and leaned back against it

"Who the hell has arrived?" she asked having only been able to hear the racket of voices that followed the door bell

"Just the guys"

"Who? she demanded

"SI10 you know Dave, Tony, Mac…Bob"

"And you invited them in?" her frustration was showing and her incredulity unmasked

"Well they sort of invited themselves in" Dempsey defended

"You could have said no" she countered

"What?" now it was Dempsey's turn for scepticism as he mimicked words he thought she had wanted him to say "Sorry Harry's having a bath and then we thought we'd re-enact nine and a half weeks"

"At least you could have said you're knackered"

"I couldn't" he defended "I would never say that to the boys and well they're here now"

"For how long?"

"Match of the day?" he winced hopefully

Harry sighed "Just watch the door and let me get back to the bedroom"

Dempsey grinned he rather liked the idea of sitting with the boys for a few beers knowing that Harry was waiting for him in bed

"Don't get dressed" he whispered "I'll stand guard over the living room" Harry put her head around the door and watched as Dempsey stood in the doorway blocking most of the view. She crept over the hallway and into the bedroom.

Dempsey tossed a can across the room to Dave.


	15. Chapter 15

Inside the bedroom Harry looked at the door she had just closed behind her, there was no lock, she felt uncomfortable. The theme tune started up and half the guys joined in 'd d d da da d da da…..' Harry could hear them and instantly knew that they would hear a hairdryer, she sighed and towelled her hair again before brushing it. Only a few moments later Harry heard doors opening and movement in the hallway, she stared at the bedroom door daring it to open and realised that she had two choices before her, she was either doomed to spend the next hours squashed in the wardrobe or she had to get out.

Dave came back from the bathroom shaking his hands "You've not got any towels" he informed Dempsey  
"Yeh there's…." as Dempsey started to speak he pictured Harry making her way to the bedroom and realised she had one round her hair as well as the huge bath sheet tucked around her body and another she was carrying for some unknown reason. His silence had been filled by debate from the boys

Dave seemed to think that 'as it was Dempsey's place there wouldn't be any' Tony pointed out 'that Dempsey never had a towel on a rail, but usually there was a wet one on floor.' And Bob conceded 'that it was his wife that always did things like towels and since Dempsey was the confirmed bachelor what the hell did they expect?' and he reminded them 'that the Green Man rarely had any paper towel in the washrooms'  
It was Mac who very quietly asked if they 'couldn't just watch the match?" The conversation turned to whether Liverpool or Man United where likely to win the league.

Harry contemplated her exit route; she couldn't leave the bedroom into the rest of the flat, there seemed far too much coming and going and so her only option was the window. And then what she mused ... Home? ... She couldn't, holding James back was one thing but she had desires that needed satisfaction.  
She searched through the clothes Dempsey had brought over; there was the dress, short, sequinned and strappy she didn't relish ruining items and why would she have wet hair? The cover story needed to be vaguely plausible; she found a pair of her own jeans and was forced to combine them with a sweat shirt belonging to Dempsey, opened the sash window and climbed out. But those personal needs had made Makepeace careless - the lights in the bedroom blazed out of the undrawn curtains and unfortunately the silhouette cast as she left the bedroom was noted by a passing beat bobby.

The long arm of the law tapped Makepeace on her shoulder from behind "Hello, hello, hello, what have we got going on here then?" the bobby asked

"Good grief could you be any more corny than that" Makepeace noted in frustration at herself

"It doesn't matter what you think Madam" the copper continued

"I'm a police officer" Harry insisted

"And you expect me to believe that" the copper fished for his handcuffs "If I had a quid for every time someone tried that one I'd be rich"

"I'm not prone to lie" Makepeace protested

"Well since I have never met you before madam I really don't know" he prepared his cuffs, Harry groaned in disbelief and the policeman continued "So show me your ID?"

"I can't" she kicked herself "It's in there"

"Would you care to explain why you were leaving via the window rather than the front door?"

"It's complicated, look just trust me"

"Oh yeh and then in the morning my boss gets a report on his desk about how a property in Hampstead was stripped bare"

Makepeace sighed, her mind now racing "Look it's just a game" she began "there are loads of undercover cops in there and we're practicing…"

"Well looks like you need a lot of help" the copper ventured

"Can we just go round and knock on the door and then my colleagues can vouch for me" she suggested

"And how do I know that there won't be the rest of your gang ready to pounce on me?" asked the innocent booby

"Do I look like a hardened criminal?" Harry demanded

"Well you're wearing a sweatshirt" he ventured

"Great - so all people wearing sweatshirts are criminals?"

"Well the ones with hoods are the worst" the bobby explained

"Have you ever heard of SI10?" Harry asked

"…..No, should have I?"

Harry groaned this was not going to be easy "Let's just go round and knock the front door" she suggested as she lead the way

.

It was actually Tony who answered the door and to her relief he at least welcomed her by name.

"Where's Dempsey?" asked Harry but she had no need, his ears had pricked up at the sound of her name and he had sprung off the sofa and was already standing by Tony.

"Hey you've called round a good time Harry" Dempsey spoke gleefully "Me and the boys are watching the game"

"Oh so you're not practising undercover" the bobby spoke up

"Oh yeh, we most defiantly are" Dempsey said as he squinted at Harry to try and get some sort of understanding "Do you and your boyfriend wanna join us?" he asked more hospitably

Tony looked interested at the idea that the guy might be Harry's boyfriend "Ah no we're not actually…." Harry just let the sentence hang

There was a cheer from the lounge "Damn I missed a goal" Tony dived back into the room to catch the re-run

"Your ID?" the bobby persisted in asking Harry

Harry knew her handbag was sitting in the lounge, Dempsey open the cloakroom cupboard door and took out his ID from his jacket; as he did so the bobby clocked the magnum sitting in its holster and his eyes widened in horror. It was a response that didn't go unnoticed by Dempsey who shoved his warrant card in front of the bobby's nose "Lieutenant Dempsey SI10, she's with me and yes I have a license to carry that and it is loaded"  
Knowing that he was utterly out of his depth the young copper stuttered a 'thank you' and left as quickly as his legs would allow. Outside he radioed a friend asking 'if he'd ever heard of SI10?' "I think so, I think there's a yank and a blonde" his colleague replied "he moved on your patch 'bout a year ago I heard. Why?"  
"I've just met them" the bobby replied and walked off vowing never to look at the house again.

.

Inside Dempsey showed Harry into the crowd "look who's just showed up" he announced needlessly

"Here have a seat Harry" Mac stood and moved onto the floor and Harry gratefully squeezed next to Dave; she glanced down and noted her handbag, none of the lads would remember she hadn't walked in with it when she stood to leave.

What brings you here?"

"Well I did a bit of gym but then I got turfed out of my bath so I thought I'd catch Dempsey about a case we're starting on Monday hopefully - who's playing?" she asked turning the conversation to the football and away from her

"Well Liverpool just trashed Coventry"

"And this is Spurs against Man U"

Tony opened another can of Carling "hey do you want one Harry?" he asked

"Ah, I think I'd rather have some wine"

"I'll get you some" Dempsey made his way to the kitchen and found the half full bottle of red, Harry followed him out

"If you're going to use the bathroom the lock's broken and the towel's missing" Dave called out

"And you're telling me about it!" Harry called back over her shoulder and winked at Dempsey

.

In the kitchen Harry leaned back against the worktop which Dempsey perched himself on. He poured two glasses of wine and looked at the sweat shirt hanging loosely over Harry; he loved seeing her in his clothes – there was just something inheritantly sexy about it. She saw the glow in his eye and traced her lips with her tongue.

"It's all I've got on" she teased

"I might have to check that out" his eyes were like saucers

She threw her eyes towards the lounge, reminding him that they were not alone prompting him to ask "What the hell was all that about back there?"

"I got caught climbing out of your bedroom window by PC plod"

"And I was dreaming of you lying there, naked…"

"Dempsey you have no locks that work on any door in this place, how could I be sure no one would come wandering?" she tapped his hand away from the neck line of the sweatshirt "Nothin' under that?" Dempsey checked

Harry ignored him "I sized up the options and decided I'd rather not spend the night squashed double and so I opted to come in by the front door"

"Hey are you two coming back? Only you just missed a goal" Dave yelled

"Sure" Dempsey jumped off the worktop and the invisible bubble the two had created was briefly broken. Harry led the way back into the lounge. Her absence had been long enough for Mac to reclaim his seat and she settled on the floor. Dempsey pulled his seat across ostensibly to get a better view of the TV but mainly to increase his proximity to Harry and possibly to afford a view that may verify the lack of anything under the sweat shirt, he really beginning to regret the lads kybosh on his evening .

Harry knew exactly what Dempsey was doing and she shuffled herself so she was a little further back into his feet and leant forward to give him the view that he wanted, she decided she would become the queen of torment.

"Hey good goal eh?" asked Tony

"Best yet, and it was a Spurs one!" Dave replied and glanced over to Dempsey

"Yeh" Dempsey agreed, knowing that his eyes had reached the TV too late.

"Didn't know you'd been married" Bob started up a conversation line with Harry that Dave and Mac were very interested in. Bob, being the only married one was just finding a link with Harry whom he never really knew.

"You still are aren't you?" Harry deftly turned the focus

"Four years last week"

"And he had to get permission for tonight" Dave jeered

"It's not like that…" Bob objected

"Tie the knot and she pulls the strings" Dave had a jaded view on the institution "That's right eh Jim"

Dempsey floundered and Mac took the opportunity to direct the conversation, he started subtly away from his main target "So where were you born Dave?"

"In a hospital" he thought it a weird question for Mac to ask

"I mean what town did you grow up in?" Mac flicked his gaze between Dave and Harry hoping he'd catch on and toss the question on to Makepeace

"Manchester" Dave confirmed

"What near United?"

"Did you watch them as a kid?"

His first line foiled Mac threw out a second "So did any of us follow our old man into the trade?"

"My ol man was in cars - oil under his nails and a hard days work" Dempsey volunteered "What is this, some sort of new game?"

Mac was spared an explanation as good old solid Bob picked up the hook "Great to have a mechanic in the family"

"Yeh one of my cars the local garage kept saying it was mended and I'd drive away and then it'd break down. Only when I rang my dad did he ask what colour the smoke was - he diagnosed the problem from miles away" Dempsey slugged his beer and allowed himself a moment of reverie.

"Do you think you can be born with cars in your blood?" asked Tony

"Me I was conceived in the back of a tow truck but it never got in my genes" Dempsey laughed "'cept the drivin'"

Mac pounced on his opportunity "What about you Harry did you inherit anything?"

"My mothers smile and my fathers sense of adventure" she replied so sweetly

Mac knew when his plan was thwarted and Harry had done it so innocently he smiled to himself. "Pancakes" he announced "I'm starving"

"Pancakes?" they chorused

"Yeh Jim gets these packets of American pancakes and you just warm them in the microwave" Mac explained as he jumped up

"You buy pancakes?"

"Yeh"

"My wife makes them"

"Exactly" agreed Harry

"They still in the same cupboard?" Mac jumped up "maybe I should move in I know so much about this place"


	16. Chapter 16

_Since it's taken me twice as long to get here than I anticipated and the major all change hasn't yet happened I'm going to re title this story 'Cambridge Blues'. I have a few one shots back in the early days to post and then I'll come back to the continuation of this time line with 5.7 (and no doubt 5.8)_

The conversation lulled as attention was drawn back to the TV. Mac was taking his time; despite banging sounds from the kitchen Dempsey concentrated on the football and in due course Mac reappeared with plates, a pile of pancakes, and a selection of toppings - well two toppings to be exact.  
Dempsey's jaw hit the floor.

"Hey real maple syrup" Mac waved the bottle "best thing for pancakes"  
Dempsey squeaked a panic stricken cough and Harry burst into an apparently unsolicited giggle; she tried tipping her head up to gauge James' distress but in the end she had to look away – his gaping mouth opening and shutting like a goldfish fighting for breath just kept reigniting her fit of giggles.  
Mac balanced the plate of pancakes and started drizzling one with maple syrup.  
Dempsey's mouth was dry, he swallowed trying to get some moistness but Dave misconstrued the attempt to moisten his lips and laughed "Dempsey's getting all of lather"

"Well the art of a good pancake is the generous topping" Mac finished drizzling syrup and folding the thing in half and the quarters. He then proceeded to open a pocket in the folds and shook the canister of cream

"Wooo…hey. cream n all!" Dempsey observed in horror

Harry shifted her gaze from Mac back to James, she caught his eye again and read his double dismay; blushing slightly she turned away in self protection.

Having pushed ample cream in Mac passed the first pancake to Tony at the same time reassuring Dempsey that 'he'd got plates'

"What! Dempsey house proud?" Bob mocked "Think he must have a new woman"

Tony roared "Jim always has a new woman"

"Hey I'm here" Dempsey protested, swinging his seat around

"So you want the next one?" Mac asked as he took the warm pancake and wove a grid of syrup over the disc with Dempsey saying 'that was plenty' and Tony reminding the present company 'that a couple of nights ago Dempsey had taken on a foursome'

Mac pulled the pocket open and shot the cream in as Dempsey let rip with a 'woah'

"Yeh but we've got no proof that he managed them" Dave challenged

James admitted that 'it tasted good' but his eyes were aggrieved as Dave got Mac to pile on the fillings for his. Harry's eyes were pained at the detail Tony was sharing about how cute Luscious Linda's girls were and Dempsey was quietly bricking it now unsure as to which was the most agonizing scenario.

"The thing was that that was only ad that ever changed in the lonely hearts" Dempsey started to explain

"You're that familiar with them" Bob asked

"Well a postage stamp sized paper don't have much to read" Dempsey justified

Harry groaned recognising his persistent dig at the Evening Standard

"But you had FOUR" Mac emphasised the four "women?"

"I booked four" Dempsey carefully placed his words "I wanted to crack the code" and willing Harry to read the truth he gave her a meaningful look "I can't help my reputation"

A goal distracted the conversation briefly but Harry held Dempsey's gaze "you've got a bloody big ego" she mouthed

"I sure have" he grinned cocking his eye brow

Mac turned to Harry offering her the next  
"Keep drizzling" she instructed watching him working in a rhythm now "and full of cream" The plate tilted as Mac reached across causing Harry to stop the slide. Cream now sat on 3 of her fingers and Harry turned back to James as she deliberately cleaned each finger tip with a light touch of her tongue, a butterfly touch of her lips and the edging of the last finger into the O of her puckered lips. James groaned with frustration, his fingers gripping the remains of his own pancake and now there was the cream splurging down his knuckles

"Watch out you'll make a mess" Harry warned

"Not quite the one I had in mind" he uttered low enough for just Harry to hear

She dipped her head looking up through her lashes coyly "later" she promised

Mac had gone to find more supplies and retuned with another load of warm pancakes "Here" he pronounced "this lot's make your own" placing the pile on the coffee table and in one mass move everyone was kneeling in a circle.  
Harry took the third pancake and held it waiting for the syrup "Here let me" Dempsey burned his stare into her eyes and they never unlocked as he dripped the sticky stuff across her food. The swirls of syrup built up as they connected and as he continued to pour their mouths were both opening, tips of tongues showing, tracing a circle desire ready to burst forth and very nearly breaking through despite the company.

Tony lifted the bottle out of Dempsey's grasp with a protest that 'he was hogging the syrup'. Harry took the can of cream being offered in exchange and without losing the pyrolytic contact with James she lifted it, tilted her head back and pressed the top releasing a stream of cream into her mouth

Dempsey could feel the pressure built up in his body "you can't do that to me - not now" he gasped breathlessly taking the can off her trying to resist thrusting his body over hers "I don't think I can last" he growled not if you do any more of that

To be honest Harry had already lost her self control and as she swallowed she pushed her lust back down as far as she could make it go

The syrup bottle was remarkably empty although the table had become remarkably sticky and, blissfully unaware of who had started the eating cream from the can; the boys had passed it, shaken it, and extrapolated any last contents into their own mouths.

"Whoops we've missed goal of the week" Mac noted as the closing credits cut in.

.

.

"Oh damn I forgot that bar of chocolate hang on two ticks" Tony stopped just yards down the road.

"Leave it" Mac moved on again

"It's on floor at the side of the sofa" Tony stood still "it won't take a second to pick it up"

"But it might interrupt something" Mac suggested now stationary but 5 yards ahead of Tony, Bob and Dave

"Interrupt?" puzzled Tony

Mac was exasperated "God are you thick?"

"It would seem so"

"Harry and Jim" Mac started

"Nah we've speculated for so long we gave up" Dave explained "they just work as one"

"So she wears his New York Yankees sweat top after going to a gym that's no where near her home at 10 at night?" Mac pointed out

"Well she arrived after us" Bob added

"And how do you explain her arriving with that bobby?" asked Tony "must be the new job for Monday"

"Dempsey is the best womaniser I know – he taught me tips" Dave offered as explanation

"And she had wet hair" Bob decided that was proof

They all walked on "Dempsey will eat my bloody chocolate" moaned Tony

"We ate his pancakes" Mac pointed out

"And his syrup and cream"

"Good goal from Clive Allen tonight"….. the four rolled on down the street

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.

Harry laughed at Dempsey, at least he had successfully curtailed the evening with the boys, insisting on prepping the new job for Monday with Harry before he spent Sunday recovering in bed. Picking up the bar of chocolate that Tony had left behind she broke off a square and holding it in her teeth invited James to share it. By the time the miniature block had melted away their hands had discovered the nakedness that lay beneath their sweat tops. Dempsey led the way from the lounge and the scattered beer cans, dirty plates and empty containers but Harry tugged back towards the kitchen. She touched his nose and smirking cheekily she set the microwave to melt the chocolate bar and broke off a bunch of grapes.

His hands were teasing around her waist and his kisses across the back of neck. At the ping harry dipped a grape into her pot of melted chocolate and started the feeding process for the second time that day. On his first attempt Dempsey dropped chocolate onto their clothing and by his second their jumpers were piled next to the Fairy washing up liquid at the sinks edge. After the third attempt he gave up with dipping the grapes and drizzled the warm liquid on to her tongue. The over loaded teaspoon spilt half its contents over her upper body and his tongue traced over her curves as he rectified his mistake. The giggling pair decided that the bed offered more artistic opportunity, James managed to discard the remainder of his clothes and Harry's whilst she fed him the last of the grapes and then what started out as small drizzles here or there became more random; just before the supplies ran out their lust took over and they soared high thrilling, satisfying and exhausting each other.

They relaxed and settled enjoying mutual comfort, heart beats settling back to normal and breathing slower and steadier, drifting contentedly. "Wow" Dempsey breathed "that was…. wow"

Harry snuggled and murmured her assent until after a time she wriggled - freeing herself from the bed she pulled at the sheet. James' weight held it in place and she tugged sharply - he protested.

"There's chocolate all over" she pointed out

"It'll wash"

"Exactly my point"

"In the morning" Dempsey said pointedly

"You can't sleep in that" she protested "and we need to shower"

"I told you that before you had a bath" he noted her stern face and decided on discretion.

Five minutes later Dempsey, dripping wet, found Harry in his towelling robe standing over his ironing board. He took a dry towel from the cupboard and studied the creases fading from the cotton as Harry pressed both sheet and quilt cover.

"Ironed sheets?" incredulous was an understatement

"You've obviously never done that"

"I change 'em - that's more than most guys I know"

"There's very little that's closer to heaven than climbing into a bed with freshly laundered, crisp, ironed sheets" Harry explained almost dreamily

"I've got to admit that for me it's more about who's in there babe"

It took Harry less than a minute to do the necessary in the shower, soon she slipped on the long silk nightdress that James had packed for her and slid between the sheets.

"Absolute bliss" she moaned softly and leaned over to deliver a slow kiss "and I have no intention of getting up in the morning lieutenant" she whispered seductively as her lips moved down to his chest

Dempsey smiled "I'm thinking about getting up again right now" he drawled starting on her forehead and intending to cover every inch of her again.

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_Ps_

_References to Dempsey's dad as a mechanic, the car repair story and his conception as well as Harry's penchant for ironed sheets are all courtesy of stories Michael has told of his own life_


End file.
